government of President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the National
Assembly 14 days to reverse the proposed illegal cut of N26.51 billion
in basic healthcare budget and to cut the National Assembly and
Presidency budgets instead, or face legal action.”
SERAP is also calling on them to meet to “reverse the proposed illegal
cut of N50.76 billion in the education budget. There is currently no
proposal to cut the National Assembly and Presidency budgets.”
In the letters dated 18 April, 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director
Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization expressed: “concern about the scale
of the cuts in basic healthcare and education budgets and their
disproportionate impact on the poorest. These cuts are not inevitable.
The authorities have a lot of choices as to what to cut but chose to
balance the budget on the backs of the most disadvantaged.”
According to SERAP, “The cuts would leave the poorest and most
vulnerable people without access to these essential public goods and
services, and without anywhere to turn, and despite the COVID-19 crisis.
This would put both the government and the National Assembly in breach
of their constitutional and international human rights and
anti-corruption obligations.”
The letters addressed to President Buhari, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of
the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, read in part:
“Continuing to neglect these basic public goods and services to sustain
the apparently lavish lifestyles of members of the National Assembly and
other powerful politicians wound exacerbate poverty, inequality,
marginalization and impunity in the country.”
“The COVID-19 crisis is a good opportunity to cut the costs of
governance, particularly the unsustainable spending on the National
Assembly expenses, and the Presidency budget, and to focus on increasing
budget allocations to healthcare and education.”
“The authorities’ approach to National Assembly and Presidency budgets
ought to be ‘do more with less.’ While we understand that the country is
facing difficult choices in budget allocations, the authorities should
have prioritised cuts in National Assembly and Presidency budgets to
increase the allocations to healthcare and education.”
“If the cuts are sustained, Nigerians will become justified in thinking
that the government and the leadership of the National Assembly do not
really care about improving access of the country’s poorest and most
vulnerable people to basic public services like healthcare and
education.”
“Cutting basic healthcare budget, especially at a time of COVID-19
crisis in the country, will undermine the ability of your government to
effectively and satisfactorily respond to the crisis and to protect
Nigerians and ensure their well-being. Cutting education budget would
mean that 16 million out-of-school Nigerian children would remain on the
street for many years to come.”
“Basic healthcare and education should not bear the brunt of your
government’s efforts to balance the 2020 budget. Cutting basic
healthcare budget would exacerbate the effects of COVID-19, have
long-term consequences for the well-being of Nigerians, and violate the
government’s constitutional and international human rights obligations
to the people.”
“Any perceived budget crisis does not excuse this flagrant violation of
constitutional law and international standards. Any budget cuts to
healthcare and the Universal Basic Education Commission will only worsen
Nigeria’s ailing health and education sectors.”
“These essential public goods and services must be protected even during
these lean budget times. Doing the opposite would cause significant
health challenges to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people.”
“Disproportionate cuts in healthcare and education budgets will also
continue to deny Nigerians particularly the poorest and the most
vulnerable people access to effective and functioning public healthcare
and education services.”
“SERAP proposes cutting among others, the following aspects of the
National Assembly and Presidency budgets: the N15 million monthly
allowances/running costs per senator, about N10 million monthly
allowances/running costs per member of the House of Representatives, as
well as budgets for the Presidency on travel, feeding, and vehicles.”
“Other aspects of the National Assembly budget revealed by the Chairman,
Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay
(SAN), and which SERAP proposes should be cut include the following:
basic salary (N2,484,245.50); hardship allowance (N1,242, 122.70);
constituency allowance (N4,968, 509.00); furniture allowance (N7, 452,
736.50); and wardrobe allowance (N621,061.37).”
“Others include: recess allowance (N248,424.55); accommodation
(N4,968,509.00); utilities allowance (N828,081.83); entertainment
(N828,081.83); vehicle maintenance allowance (N1,863,184.12); leave
allowance (N248,424.55); severance gratuity (N7, 425,736.50); and motor
vehicle allowance (N9, 936,982.00).”
“Continuing to spend scarce public funds on these expenses would deny
the most disadvantaged access to public goods and services, and burden
the next generation.”
“SERAP further urges you to instruct Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of
Finance, Budget and National Planning to work with the leadership of the
National Assembly to work out the details of cuts to National Assembly
and Presidency budgets, and the reversal of the cuts to basic healthcare
and education.”
“According to our information, your government has proposed to
drastically cut basic healthcare budget by N26.51 billion, that is, from
the N44.49 billion initially budgeted down to just N17.98 billion. Your
government has also proposed to cut education budget by N50.76 billion,
that is, from the N111.78 billion initially budgeted for UBEC down to
just to N61.02 billion.”
“SERAP notes that access to basic healthcare is closely related to and
dependent upon the realization of other human rights, including the
right to education, human dignity, life, non-discrimination, equality,
and access to information. These and other rights and freedoms address
integral components of the right to health.”