A bill seeking to bar public servants and their families from using private schools and hospitals has passed first reading at the House of Representatives.
The bill, sponsored by the lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State, Amobi Ogah, was proposed during plenary on Tuesday.
Addressing newsmen after the plenary session, the legislator said that the bill would prevent conflict of interest, maintain public trust, and ensure high, uncompromised standards and integrity of public schools and healthcare centres.
The lawmaker also recalled that the nation’s foremost politicians, including Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Tafawa Balewa, attended public schools before Nigeria gained independence in 1960.
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He added that Nigerians spent at least $29.29 billion on foreign medical expenses during the eight years of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Amobi said: “This bill represents a watershed moment for our country. It’s imperative that we eliminate conflicting interests and compel public officials to actively engage in revamping the very institutions they oversee, instead of fleeing to private alternatives.
“In 2023 alone, $218.87m was spent on foreign education, while the first quarter of 2024 recorded an additional $38.17m outflow for the same purpose.
“Despite allocating N1.34tn to the health sector in the 2024 budget, Nigerians still channel over $1bn abroad annually for healthcare. This is unsustainable.
“If we could remove the fuel subsidy, then we must equally find the courage to reform our public institutions.
“This bill is more than just legislation; it’s a call to national rebirth. We must put an end to the culture of medical and educational tourism among public servants and reinvest in what we have.”
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