The House of Representatives yesterday abruptly suspended its proceedings following intermittent power outage at the chamber during plenary.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, who presided at the session was forced to call for an adjournment after the chamber was thrown into darkness several times and the microphones could not function.

Before the blackout, the lawmakers were considering the report of the House Committee on Health on a Bill for an Act to repeal the National Health Insurance Scheme Act, No.35 of 1999.

The bill seeks to re-enact the National Health Insurance Commission Act to expand the scope of the scheme and enhance access to affordable health care delivery for all Nigerians.

The Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, said the law establishing the National Health Insurance Scheme needed to be reviewed to ensure universal coverage for all Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the House urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to, as a matter urgency, send relief materials to some communities in Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State. The said communities were hit by a devastating rainstorm which left about a hundred houses and public power infrastructure destroyed.

The lawmakers also urged the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to urgently rehabilitate its power lines and restore power supply to the affected communities.

The resolution to send relief materials to the affected communities came on the heels of a matter of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Pally Iriase (ACN/Edo).

The lawmaker said with the destruction of houses and other infrastructures, life had become difficult for the people.

According to him, nine communities, including Uahumi, Eteye, Okpa, Ogute, Evbiamen, Okpokhumi and Igue-Oke all in Owan East Local Governmnet Area of the state were worst affected with a total of 132 houses destroyed and electricity poles uprooted.

Iriase said hundreds of families had been rendered homeless and living in makeshift shelters and were exposed to health hazards.

He argued that since the level of the disaster was beyond the scope of the state and the local governments, lives might be lost if relief did not come to the people early enough.

"The urgency attached to the issue has to do with the fact that it won't be of any use if responses, by way of relief materials were to be sent to the affected communities much later when they won't be of any use again.

"So, I think it would be most sensitive to act and prevent avoidable disaster at the right time rather than commiserating with the people after it might have occurred," the lawmaker said.