Monday, February 10, 2025
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sounded a warning to the Federal Government, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in the utilization of the $1.07 billion allocated to the health sector in the 2025 budget¹[3).
Atiku’s statement comes as a response to the government’s plan to use the funds to support governance improvements, healthcare worker training, and recruitment. However, he questioned the absence of a clear framework detailing how the funds will be spent, particularly in addressing major diseases in the primary health sector such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.²
The former Vice President criticized the government’s response to the withdrawal of U.S. aid for HIV/AIDS treatment, noting that the allocated N5 billion was insufficient. He also accused the administration of misrepresenting the status of Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure and failing to prioritize the health of its citizens.
Atiku emphasized the importance of maximizing every kobo budgeted for the health sector, given the dwindling resources and withdrawal of international support in certain areas of healthcare services. He 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.