Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned against the mismanagement of the $1 billion loan secured from the International Development Association (IDA) for healthcare funding, referencing past allegations of public funds disappearing under bizarre circumstances.
Abubakar, in a statement on Sunday, said the funds must be protected from corruption, recalling infamous cases where government officials blamed the disappearance of public money on animals.
In 2018, a Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) official in Benue claimed that a mysterious snake swallowed N36 million from the agency’s vault. Similarly, a senator alleged that N70 million belonging to the Northern Senators Forum was taken by monkeys in a farmhouse.
In 2019, a gorilla was accused of swallowing N6.8 million at the Kano Zoological Gardens.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved $1.07 billion to finance healthcare sector reforms under the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) programme.
Finance Minister Wale Edun explained that IDA provided two $500 million concessional loans, while other international bodies contributed a $70 million grant.
Health Minister Ali Pate detailed that half of the funding would be allocated to governance improvements, incentivizing states to hire and train healthcare workers, while the other half would strengthen primary healthcare services.
Additionally, FEC approved N4.5 billion for the procurement of HIV treatment packs to support Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS.
However, Abubakar criticized the government’s handling of the loan, stating that Nigerians deserve a clear breakdown of how the funds will be spent.
“It is immoral for the government not to provide extensive details of how the $1 billion loan would be utilized,” Abubakar said.
“This amount is in addition to the N2.48 trillion already proposed for the health sector in the initial budget draft. What is troubling is that the $1.07 billion allocated to the health sector at the sub-national level comes primarily from foreign loans, which Nigerians will have to repay.”
The former vice president insisted that Nigerians have the right to track the expenditure of these funds, particularly under an administration that has faced scrutiny over financial transparency in humanitarian efforts.
“For an administration with a trust deficit in managing public funds, Nigerians cannot afford to accept vague explanations for such a critical budgetary provision,” he added.