Banky W Leads Protest Against N27b NASS Renovation Budget

By Ayodele Oluwafemi

The slash in the budgetary allocations of Universal Basic Education and Basic Health Care Provision in the revised budget proposal of the Federal Government has been meet with sharp criticisms.

In the revised budget proposal, the budget earmarked for the Universal Basic Education was slashed by 54% from the N111.7billion to N51.1billion, while that of the Basic Health Care Provision, took a 43% cut from N44.4billion to N25.5billion.

However, the provision for the renovation of the National Assembly complex was put at N27.7 billion, a provision more than that of basic health care.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the poor state of Nigeria’s health care was exposed. This was made glaring by the absence of ventilators in many government owned hospitals.

When the news of the slash of the budgetary allocations of education and health broke on the microblogging platform, Twitter, many Nigerians expressed displeasure that political office holders were paying of lip service to the development of the two critical sectors.

The revised budget proposal depicts that the budget earmarked for renovation of NASS complex is more than that of basic healthcare.

@BankyW tweeted: “At a time when most Nigerians are seriously struggling with being able to afford everything from FOOD to Healthcare, our National Assembly is going to spend N27 BILLION on “renovations”

@AyoBankole tweeted: “However or whichever way you want to defend, analyse or rationalize it, it will never make sense that we want to renovate the NASS with 27bn & spend 25bn on healthcare at a time we are plagued with the world’s deadliest pandemic, oil price crash & a looming nasty recession.”

@CACCOT1 tweeted: “Someone posted email address of all NASS members last year during the hate speech bill and people send message to their representatives. I think we should send another message and remind them it is absurd to spend N27 Billion on renovation.”

@_Omoissy tweeted: “Education budget and Basic Healthcare fund has been cut. People are starving and the Federal Government just approved N27b to renovate NASS. This country is a joke! Top tier comedy.”

@iamOkon tweeted: “In the middle of a global pandemic where Nigeria was seen begging for ventilators online, our politicians still thought it wise to approve N27b to renovate NASS. Not renovate or equip hospitals, not pay doctors more o. Wahala dey o. ?”

@Baldilocks_ tweeted: “In the revised 2020 budget, the FG just slashed primary health care centres’ fund from N44.4bn to N25.5bn and universal basic education fund from N111.7bn to N51.1bn. They’re also giving NASS N27bn for renovation. These are the sort of things that should make you want to protest.”

@aproko_doctor tweeted: “The amount given to the National Assembly for renovation is more than the amount given to ALL the primary healthcare centres across Nigeria. N27bn- Renovation of the NASS complex

N25bn- Provide healthcare in ALL primary healthcare centres in Nigeria. We’re not ready yet. Not soon.”

@asemota tweeted: “NASS renovation is to shut them up. Nobody there is representing anyone but their own pockets and mouths. Their renovation is more important than primary healthcare? People should begin to hold NASS accountable as @BudgITng once tried to do. Let them do right or recall them all.”

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