By Karen James
In Abuja, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged transparency and accountability in the utilization of the $1.07 billion allocated to the health sector in the 2025 budget proposal, warning against mismanagement of public funds.
In a statement he personally signed, Atiku referenced past incidents where government officials made bizarre claims about funds being “swallowed” by animals such as snakes, termites, and monkeys. He criticized the lack of thorough investigations into these cases and called for strict oversight of health sector expenditures.
“Against the backdrop of dwindling resources that have been exacerbated by the withdrawal of support in certain areas of our healthcare services, it is important that every kobo budgeted for the health sector be maximally utilized. The Federal Government must put mechanisms in place for public audit and accountability in its $1.07 billion budgetary appropriation,” he stated.
Atiku also raised concerns about the government’s failure to provide a comprehensive breakdown of how the funds would be utilized in the primary health sector.
“We have read that the Federal Government plans to expend a whopping $1.07 billion in the primary health sector, in addition to the N2.48 trillion earlier proposed. What is more troubling is that much of this new allocation is sourced from foreign loans, with a fraction provided by an international donor agency.”
The former vice president criticized the administration for not prioritizing physical infrastructure projects in the health sector, raising concerns about possible misappropriation.
“Undoubtedly, the Tinubu administration has failed woefully in the health sector due to poor funding. If this government truly prioritizes the health of Nigerians, it must explain how it plans to spend this intervention fund in tackling malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS in the primary health sector.”
CSOs, EFCC to Monitor Budget Implementation
Meanwhile, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under the Initiative for Leadership and Economic Watch in Nigeria have expressed their willingness to collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in monitoring the budget at both national and sub-national levels.
During a courtesy visit to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede in Abuja, CSO representatives emphasized their commitment to ensuring proper utilization of budgeted funds.
“The budget is our major concern. Our mandate is to monitor budget implementation, assess effectiveness, identify gaps, advocate for reforms, promote transparency, and collaborate with stakeholders,” said Splendor Agbonkpolor, speaking on behalf of the CSOs.
He further stressed the need for a joint effort in tackling corruption in government procurement and budget execution.
“The fight against corruption is not a one-man show. It is not the sole responsibility of the EFCC. If corruption is tackled from procurement to implementation, the amount of money stolen from the budget will be significantly reduced.”
As pressure mounts on the Federal Government to ensure accountability in budget execution, all eyes remain on how the $1.07 billion health sector allocation will be managed.
