Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has warned against the misappropriation of funds allocated to the health sector in the 2025 budget. Referencing past incidents where animals were blamed for missing public funds, Abubakar emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the government’s $1.07 billion budgetary appropriation for the health sector.
“The Federal Government has announced plans to spend a whopping $1.07 billion in the primary health sector… Since these loans must be repaid, Nigerians have the right to know the full details and ensure that the expenditure is transparent and well-justified,” the former vice president noted.
Abubakar questioned the government’s failure to provide a detailed breakdown of how it intends to spend the funds, particularly in the primary health sector. He criticized the government’s poor track record in managing public funds, especially in humanitarian services.
“It is difficult to trust this administration’s claims, especially given its history of misleading Nigerians about investments in social infrastructure,” he asserted.
Abubakar also expressed concerns about the government’s response to the withdrawal of American aid for HIV/AIDS treatment, noting that the proposed intervention of N5 billion is grossly inadequate. He urged the government to provide a clear framework for managing the health sector investment and subject it to proper legislative scrutiny.
“If the Tinubu administration does not present a clear framework… then it may be safe to conclude that this is yet another case of public funds being mismanaged under the guise of serving Nigerians,” Abubakar concluded.
