Obi Slams FG’s Bus Terminal Budget, Calls it Misplaced Priority Amid Healthcare Crisis

Labour Party leader and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi has once again criticised the federal government’s spending priorities, focusing on a recent allocation of ₦142 billion for the construction of bus terminals across the country..

Obi contrasted this with the less than ₦100 billion allocated to all federal teaching hospitals and psychiatric centers in the 2024 budget, labeling it a clear case of misplaced priorities.

In a statement released on Friday by his spokesman, Ibrahim Umar, Obi argued that the government’s decision demonstrates a lack of commitment to critical sectors like healthcare, which he described as vital engines of national development.

Taking to his official X handle, Obi wrote, “The difference between the success and failure of the development in any nation is how you prioritise your scarce resources.”

He added, “The recent announcement that a sum of ₦142 billion has been approved by the Federal Government for the construction of one bus terminal in each of our six geopolitical zones further affirms the lack of competence, lack of focus and poor leadership.”

Obi highlighted the discrepancy between the funding allocated for bus terminals and the healthcare sector, stating, “In the 2024 budget, which is the operational budget today, the entire budget of all the teaching hospitals across all the federal universities in the country, as well as the federal psychiatric centres, is under ₦100 billion, yet the government has approved ₦142 billion for bus terminals.”

He further emphasized the dire state of Nigeria’s healthcare system, citing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent report that over 20 million Nigerians are living with mental health issue.

“This is disturbing, considering that Health is one of the most critical areas of development, which is deteriorating and remains grossly underfunded.

“This is not only a misplaced priority but a tragic irony of our country. This is not governance,” Obi concluded.

The criticism adds to a growing chorus of concerns regarding the government’s fiscal policies and their impact on essential public services.

Obi’s statement, punctuated with his characteristic campaign slogan “A New Nigeria is POssible,” is likely to fuel further debate on the nation’s economic priorities.

The federal government is yet to respond to Obi’s specific allegations regarding the bus terminal and healthcare budgets.