The senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Ned Nwoko, has described Nigeria as a nation rising beyond challenges. He stated this while speaking on Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary. He said 65 years after independence; Nigeria remains work in progress, a story of resilience, promise and determination.
“Ours is a nation that has survived turbulence, overcome setbacks, and yet continues to stand as Africa’s most powerful voice. Nigeria at 65 must choose to lead, not as a country of wasted potential, but as a nation that transforms its wealth into wellbeing for its people. “We must secure our communities, empower our youth, modernise our infrastructure, and build institutions that outlive individuals.
We must insist that no Nigerian is left behind. Not the farmer in the village, not the entrepreneur in the city, not the vulnerable in need of support,” he said. The lawmaker, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Reparations and Repatriation, also said that the 2025 independence anniversary is more than a ritual commemoration.
According to him, “it is a call to renew our sense of duty to one another and to the generations ahead.” Nwoko also said the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Tinubu is encouraging local production over reckless imports and investment in social interventions. “These are bold beginnings that must be sustained with consistency and urgency,” he said. He also commended Vice President Kashim Shettima for his speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
According to him, the vice president’s call for a permanent African seat on the UN Security Council, sovereign debt relief, fair access to trade and financing, equity in resource ownership, and closing the digital divide so that “AI means Africa Included” captures the very essence of Nigeria’s place in the world.
“These are not abstract declarations; they are the lived realities that define our struggle as a nation.” Nwoko said, adding that in the Senate, his motions and bills have been guided by these same convictions that justice must be pursued, whether through reparations for historical wrongs or reconciliation for national tragedies.
“Dignity must be guaranteed, whether through attaining veto power at the UN Security Council, the establishment of a National Social Security Agency or by ensuring healthcare and education reforms that work for Nigerians at home. “Sovereignty must be protected, whether by stopping crude oil theft, ending gas flaring, or reclaiming control over our mineral wealth. Opportunities must be created, whether through youth entrepreneurship, diaspora voting, indigenous participation in mining, or the expansion of our digital economy.
“Our journey is far from finished. But if we keep faith with one another, strengthen collaboration between the executive and legislature, and place people at the centre of our policies, then this decade can be the turning point when Nigeria moves from survival to greatness,” he said. Nwoko called for the urgent activation and implementation of the Emergency Medical Treatment (EMT) funds as provided for under Section A150 of the National Health Act 2014.
The funds, which are derived from a five per cent allocation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), he said, are intended to finance the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS). He noted that emergencies occur daily across Nigeria not only in the form of blood, broken bones, and fading pulses, but also in heartbreaking situations where help should come but does not, due to hospitals demanding upfront payment before treatment.
He said this leaves many Nigerians to die from preventable conditions. He also noted that more than 75 per cent of Nigerians finance their healthcare expenses out-of-pocket – one of the highest proportions globally, describing the development as an unstable situation that pushes millions into poverty, and exposes citizens to poor health outcomes.
According to him, the National Health Act, signed into law on Oct. 31, 2014, was designed to provide a comprehensive legal framework for the regulation, development, and management of the country’s health system.
“This is with the aim of raising national healthcare standards, improving accessibility, and ensuring equitable service delivery for all Nigerians. Section A150 of the Act establishes the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), financed through one per cent of the Federal Government’s consolidated revenue alongside grants from international donors and other approved sources.
“The Act specifies clear allocations for the fund, including 50 per cent for the provision of a basic minimum package of health services through the National Health Insurance Scheme. Others are 20 per cent for procurement of essential drugs, vaccines, and consumables and 15 per cent for maintenance of healthcare facilities, equipment, and transport across eligible centres.
“Also 10 per cent is allocated for the development of human resources for primary healthcare delivery and five per cent specifically earmarked for emergency medical treatment, to be managed by a committee appointed by the National Council on Health.” The lawmaker said that in spite of the clarity of this statutory framework, there was no public evidence that the five per cent emergency medical treatment allocation had been implemented or made accessible to Nigerians in urgent need, thereby defeating the essence of its creation.
