Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned President Bola Tinubu-led government against claims of that snakes, termites, gorillas and monkeys were swallowing public funds, saying that such trend should not be the fate of the funds budgeted for health in the 2025 Budget.
In a statement personally signed by him and issued on Sunday, the 2023 presidential candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) raised concerns over the allocation of $1.07 billion in the 2025 budget for the health sector, cautioning against the misuse of the funds.
Atiku emphasized that mechanisms must be put in place to ensure the funds are used to improve healthcare services rather than vanish under suspicious circumstances.
Drawing on past bizarre claims that animals such as snakes, termites, and monkeys were responsible for the disappearance of public funds, Atiku warned that such narratives must not plague this critical budget. He called for a transparent and accountable framework to track how the allocated money is spent.
“It is critical that every kobo budgeted for the health sector is utilized effectively, especially in the face of dwindling resources and the withdrawal of international support in some areas of healthcare services,” Atiku stated.
He also criticized the Federal Government for failing to provide detailed plans on how it intends to use the $1.07 billion designated for primary healthcare, which comes in addition to the N2.48 trillion already proposed in the health budget.
Atiku noted that the government has sourced a significant portion of the health sector funding from foreign loans, making it essential for Nigerians to understand how the borrowed money will be spent.
“These funds must be expended transparently, with clear policies that explain their utilization,” he argued.
While the government claims the funds will support governance improvements, healthcare worker training, and recruitment, Atiku questioned the absence of a commitment to any specific infrastructure development. He described this as a red flag and accused the administration of failing to address the pressing needs of tertiary hospitals and primary healthcare facilities.
“The state of our tertiary hospitals remains abysmal, with many lacking basic necessities such as a steady supply of electricity,” Atiku said. He added that diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS—key challenges in the primary healthcare sector—require focused intervention, yet there is little clarity on how the new funds will address these issues.
Atiku also criticized the Tinubu administration’s response to the withdrawal of U.S. aid for HIV/AIDS treatment, noting that the government allocated only N5 billion as a countermeasure. He accused the administration of misrepresenting the status of Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure and failing to prioritize the health of its citizens.
The former vice president urged the Federal Government to provide a detailed framework for the use of the health sector budget and subject the appropriations to National Assembly scrutiny.
“If this administration fails to demonstrate transparency and accountability, it risks being seen as committing fraud under the guise of public interest,” Atiku.
