The Federal government of Nigeria has slashed primary health care centres’ fund from ₦44.4bn to ₦25.5bn; UBE, ₦111.7bn to ₦51.1bn and National Assembly renovation from ₦37 to ₦27.7bn
This new development has not gone well with the citizens of the country.
Reason being that a critical look at the revised budget, the government had slashed the National Assembly renovation by 25.1% (₦37bn to ₦27.7bn)
However, the budget for basic amenities such as health and education were both double-slashed; by 42.5% (₦44.4bn to ₦25.5bn; ₦111.7bn to ₦51.1bn respectively).
The said ₦44.4bn was meant to cater for the whole health care centres in the 774 local government areas of the 36 states in the country.
The revisitation of the 2020 budget became necessary following the huge drop in the price of crude oil due to the coronavirus pandemic.
it was learnt that the Federal Government decided to reduce the budget for the renovation.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday, 4th of June, presented the 2020 Appropriation Act (amendment) Bill to the National Assembly.
Both the Senate and the House passed the bill for second reading same day.
Buhari explained that the amendment became essential as a result of the sharp decline in crude oil prices and the cut in Nigeria’s crude oil production quota caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In any case, many Nigerians are not pleased with this new development and they have taken to social media to express their dissappointment.
One of such Nigerian is popular singer, Rudeboy, one of the Psquare brothers who said the government is doing that because they know ‘Nigerians can’t do anything to stop them‘.
