The House of Representatives has introduced a Bill seeking to bar public officials and their families from using private health care facilities and sending their children to private schools.
Amobi Ogah, member representing Isuikwuato/ Umunnechi federal constituency of Abia State and sponsor of the proposed legislation titled: “Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill, 2025 (HB.2487)” said it is aimed at improving the standard and integrity of public health and education facilities in the country.
He explained that the penchant by public officials to patronise private health and education facilities for themselves and their immediate families has led to the neglect of public hospitals and schools.
According to him, the Bill intends to prohibit all public and civil servants, including their immediate family members from patronising private schools and health care services in order to avoid conflict of interest, maintain public trust and ensure high uncompromised standards and integrity of these public institutions.
“The penchant for patronising private educational institutions and health care services were alien to our democrats of old but today, it has become an unwholesome trend for both public and civil servants to seek private educational institutions and medical care for themselves and their family members to the detriment of the economy of our Country.
“In 2024 Nigeria allocated a total of N1.336 trillion to health care in the 2024 budget, which is a farcry from the estimated N1.6 trillion or over $1 billion Nigerians spend annually on medical treatments abroad.
“Nigerians also spent at least $29.29 billion on foreign medical expenses during the eight years of late Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. In education, Nigeria spent $38.17 million on foreign education expenses between January and March, 2024 while in 2023 she spent a whopping $218.87 million.”
The lawmaker added that “the time for us all to tell ourselves the truth is now; we can no longer continue to inflict serious damage to the psyche of Nigerians. The time to be patriotic is now. If we have started the removal of petroleum subsidy, we must also enforce this bill to prohibit the patronising of private schools and health care services by public and civil servants.
“Because of the patronage of private schools and health care facilities, our institutions of leaning and medical care have become a shadow of themselves, with little or no infrastructural development and fallen standards of services.
“We must of necessity restore confidence in our government institutions, like public schools and government hospitals, thereby promoting the image of our country in the comity of Nations.
“It does not speak good of our country, that our Presidents and notable government functionaries are seen to be going abroad for medical treatment and even dying in the process. This Bill intends to put a stop to all this medical and educational tourism among public and civil servants.”
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