The Kogi State House of Assembly has passed two bills seeking to provide free healthcare for pregnant women and newborns at government-owned facilities and establish a College of Agriculture at Ochaja-Egume.
The measures are the Kogi State College of Agriculture, Ochaja-Egume Establishment Bill, 2026, and the Kogi State Free Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare Services Bill, 2025.
Both bills passed their third and final readings after lawmakers considered and adopted their provisions clause by clause at the Committee of the Whole.
Free healthcare bill targets financial barriers
Speaking after the passage, Speaker Aliyu Umar Yusuf said the maternal and neonatal healthcare bill was intended to address the financial difficulties preventing pregnant women and newborn babies from receiving essential medical attention.
He expressed concern that some women were unable to obtain treatment at government-owned health facilities because they could not afford basic medical expenses.
Yusuf stressed that a pregnant woman or newborn should not be denied essential healthcare because of an inability to pay.
He urged the Executive to assent to the bill, saying implementation would widen access to care and improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes across the state.
The proposed intervention comes alongside efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, including the ongoing development of facilities at CUSTECH Teaching Hospital in Okene.
Ochaja-Egume college to expand agricultural training
On the agriculture college bill, Yusuf said the proposed institution would give young people and other residents opportunities to acquire agricultural knowledge and practical skills within Kogi State.
He said access to such training would reduce the need for residents to travel outside the state to pursue agricultural education.
The Speaker noted that agricultural education had contributed to Kogi’s development over the years. He said the proposed college would support efforts to diversify the economy and strengthen agriculture’s contribution to growth.
According to Yusuf, adequate funding would be crucial to the institution’s ability to improve agricultural productivity, create jobs and generate revenue.
The proposal adds an education component to the state’s agricultural development agenda, which includes Executive Council approvals for fertilisers, agricultural chemicals and other farm inputs.
Kogi has also announced plans for a cashew processing plant aimed at increasing value addition and attracting investment into the sector.
Agriculture was among the areas identified in the state’s development partnership discussions in Kuwait, while a recent TETFund stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja highlighted the importance of practical research in agriculture and other productive sectors.
Speaker commends lawmakers, seeks assent
Yusuf commended Assembly members for their contributions to the debates and public hearings that preceded the passage of the bills.
He described the measures as important steps towards expanding agricultural education and improving the welfare of Kogi residents.
The maternal healthcare bill now awaits executive assent before the proposed provisions can take effect.
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