[BREAKING] 2025 Budget: Snakes, Termites, Monkeys Must Not Swallow $1.07 Billion – Atiku Warns Tinubu Govt

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concerns over the Federal Government’s allocation of funds to Nigeria’s health sector in the 2025 Budget, warning against a repeat of past scandals where public funds allegedly vanished under bizarre circumstances involving animals such as snakes, termites, gorillas, and monkeys.

The Bola Tinubu administration has earmarked $1.07 billion for primary healthcare, in addition to ₦2.48 trillion initially proposed for healthcare in the budget.

In a statement personally signed by him on Sunday, Atiku highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in the management of these funds, especially given Nigeria’s dwindling national resources and the withdrawal of foreign support for essential healthcare services. He criticized the government for failing to provide a clear and detailed plan on how the substantial funds would be utilized.

Atiku revealed that the additional $1.07 billion was primarily sourced through foreign loans, with part of the funds provided by an international donor agency. He emphasized the need for Nigerians to be informed about the details of these loans, their repayment plans, and the precise allocation of the funds. He argued that every kobo allocated to the health sector must be properly accounted for to ensure effective utilization.

The former vice president expressed skepticism over the Federal Government’s lack of commitment to physical infrastructure development in the health sector, describing it as suspicious.

According to official government statements, the funds are intended to enhance governance in healthcare and strengthen primary healthcare services, including the recruitment, training, and retention of healthcare workers and teachers at the sub-national level.

Atiku, however, questioned this justification, arguing that without robust accountability mechanisms, there was a risk of mismanagement.

Atiku criticized the Tinubu administration for what he described as a lack of transparency and poor health sector funding. He highlighted ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, questioning how the intervention fund would be used to address these critical health issues.

He also dismissed the government’s response to the withdrawal of U.S. funding for HIV/AIDS treatment, calling the N5 billion allocation a “paltry sum.”

Furthermore, Atiku accused the government of misleading Nigerians about the state of tertiary hospitals, asserting that despite claims of improvement, these facilities lack basic amenities, including a stable power supply. He described the government’s claims as unfounded and called for greater transparency.

Atiku urged the government to subject the health budget appropriations to scrutiny by the National Assembly and to establish public audit mechanisms to ensure accountability.

He warned that without a comprehensive framework to safeguard the health sector funds, the budget could be perceived as another fraudulent scheme disguised as public interest spending.

He insisted that Nigerians deserve a transparent and accountable system that prioritizes their health needs and guarantees effective use of public funds.