The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Ministry of Education to immediately contain the outbreak of diphtheria at the Victoria Island annex of King’s College in Lagos State and across all Unity schools nationwide.
In another development, the lawmakers have also urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to restore vandalized pipelines in Ore, Ondo State, in order to better serve the people.
Between May 2022 and January 2025, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control recorded 24,804 confirmed cases of diphtheria across 25 states in Nigeria, resulting in 1,269 fatalities across 18 states.
At a plenary session, Akin Rotimi Jnr., Ekiti state member and Spokesman of the House, presented a motion of urgent public importance regarding the diphtheria outbreak at the Victoria Island annex of King’s College in Lagos State.
He expressed concern that the disease had claimed the life of a student and that others were undergoing treatment.
The lawmaker called for the intervention of federal authorities to compliment efforts of the Lagos state government.
In another motion, the House calls on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to prioritise the repair and rehabilitation of vandalised pipelines linking Ore depot in Ondo state to the South West, Kogi and other states; for immediate resumption of operation in the facility.
The resolution is on the strength of a motion by Ondo state legislator, Festus Adefiranye
He says non functioning of the depot has led to increased cost of petroleum products and undue hardship for the people.
The House also passed the amendment bills to the South East and North West Development Commissions as well as the NYSC Fund bill for third reading.
The House wants compensation paid to the family of the deceased student of King’s college and calls on appropriate government agencies including the federal ministry of health and NCDC to intensify diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns in schools across the country to prevent future outbreaks.
