FROM RAHILA ABDULLAHI, KADUNA
Kaduna State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to establish the Mental Health Services Department in the state.
The bill was passed after a report by the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Haruna Barnabas, at yesterday’s plenary.
Barnabas, who represents Kauru/Chawai Constituency in the Assembly, explained that establishing Mental Health Services Department would protect the rights of persons with intellectual, psychosocial or cognitive disability.
He added that it would also provide enhancement and regulation of mental health services in Kaduna State.
“Overtime, drug abuse have been given a different interpretation, people see the youth who are into drugs as those who are not supposed to be part of the society, but with this bill, we are trying to give them recognition.
“This bill seeks to create an agency that would manage the crisis entirely and see how we can make youths who are into drugs become useful to Kaduna State.
“With an expanded mandate to reflect the best international practice and conventions that will necessitate the renaming of Kaduna State Bureau for Substance Abuse Agency, KADBUSA, as Kaduna State Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency, KADSAMHSA,” the lawmaker said.
He said the initiative would strengthen the agency’s comprehensive role in managing both Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Speaker Yusuf Liman passed the bill after the House unanimously adopted the recommendations of the report.
However, a bill for a law to provide the establishment of Kaduna State Senior Secondary School Education Board scaled second reading.
Member representing Zaria City Constituency, Mahmud Ismail, during an interview with newsmen after plenary, said the initiative followed the federal government’s plan to shift from the 6-3-3-4 system to a 12-4 year education model.
Similarly, a bill for a law to amend the Customary Courts Law No. 9 of 2001 (as Amended), sponsored by Emmanuel Kantiok, member representing Zonkwa Constituency also scaled first reading.
