A House of Representatives member, Hon. Saudatu Sani, says about 55,000 Nigerian women die yearly from abortion, miscarriages and other maternal complications.

Hon Sani revealed this to newsmen Thursday at a dinner organized by a non governmental organization, Packard Foundation in Abuja.

She said public hearings will begin today on a Bill before the National Assembly on the National Representative Health Institute, which will regulate the practice of safe reproductive health in the country.

She added that the bill also seeks to empower communities in the country on how to reduce high mortality rates in the country while empowering them to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Also speaking, the Country Director of IPAs, Dr. Ejike Oji, decried the absence of an abortion law in the country.

He said the law still used in the country made in 1861 by the colonial masters, is obsolete and cannot meet the demands of Nigerians.

Dr. Oji, added that; "unless we make active laws, Nigerian women will continue to suffer from rape, meets, pedophilia without the perpetrators being punished while our women keep dying.

Speaking earlier in a welcome address, the head of population, Packard foundation, Ms Sarah Clark, said that $35 million is to be spent in Nigeria for the period of five years.

She said the foundation has adopted an advocacy based on service delivery, adding that the advocacy in Nigeria will be more intensive this year so that the foundation can achieve its goals of fighting maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and mobility.

Also speaking the Senior Country Adviser to the foundation, Mrs. Mairo Mawara, said that, the nation has a high rate of abortion due to the high level of pregnancy.

She said that with a better population control, Nigerians should be able to make informed decisions on birth control.