Budget: Atiku warns Tinubu's govt against allowing snakes, monkeys to swallow $1.07bn for health

• Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the federal government to ensure the $1.07 billion health sector budget is not mismanaged, emphasizing strict accountability measures
• He criticized the lack of transparency in the budget, highlighting that a significant portion of the funds comes from foreign loans, which Nigerians will have to repay
• Atiku condemned past excuses of missing public funds linked to animals like snakes and monkeys, insisting such irregularities must not affect the 2025 health budget

FCT, Abuja - Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the federal government to ensure that the $1.07 billion allocated to the health sector in the 2025 budget is not mismanaged.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Atiku emphasized the need for strict accountability measures to prevent the funds from disappearing under suspicious circumstances.

Atiku has warned the Tinubu-led government against mismanagement of the 2025 health budget Photo credit: Pius Utomi Ekpei
Source: UGC

Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the last election, criticized past instances where public funds allegedly went missing under bizarre claims involving animals such as snakes, termites, and monkeys.

He insisted that such excuses should not be used to justify financial irregularities in the health sector.

Demands Public Audit and Accountability

Atiku called for a detailed framework to track the expenditure of the allocated funds to ensure they directly benefit Nigerians.

He questioned the federal government’s failure to provide a clear breakdown of how the funds would be spent, particularly in the primary healthcare sector.

“To this end, the Federal Government has to be deliberate about putting mechanisms in place for public audit and accountability in its $1.07 billion budgetary appropriation in the health sector,” he stated.

The former vice president acknowledged the urgent need for investment in healthcare but insisted that transparency was equally crucial.

“It will be immoral for the government not to provide extensive details of how the money allotted for this purpose will be utilized,” he added.

Concerns Over Foreign Loans for Health Budget

Atiku also raised concerns about the sources of the additional $1.07 billion, noting that a significant portion of the funds comes from foreign loans, with some contributions from international donor agencies.

“This means Nigeria will have to repay these loans, and the Nigerian people deserve to know the details, including the terms and how exactly the funds will be spent,” he said.

He further criticized the lack of commitment to tangible infrastructure projects within the health budget, warning that the absence of clear spending plans could lead to misappropriation.

“Failure of the federal government to allocate these funds towards a single physical infrastructure project smacks of fraud,” Atiku warned.

In a sharp critique of past financial scandals, Atiku cautioned that Nigerians would not accept any excuses for missing funds in the 2025 health budget.

“Claims of animals such as snakes, termites, gorillas, and monkeys swallowing public funds must never be the fate of the funds budgeted for the critical health sector,” he declared.

Atiku’s remarks reflect growing concerns over government accountability, especially in sectors that directly impact the lives of Nigerians.

His call for transparency adds to the ongoing debate over how the country manages its resources in the face of economic challenges.

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Source: Legit.ng