Amid the wild criticism of the whooping millions budgeted for the state house Abuja clinic which is already a world standard, the presidency has now confirmed that the money allocated for the clinic was not doctored, but that the N3.2billion vote was deliberate.
President Buhari presenting the 2016 budget at the National Assembly in December 2015
Jalal Arabi, the Permanent Secretary attached to the presidential villa, Aso rock, Abuja, has justified the allocation of N3.2 billion for capital projects at the State House clinic in the draft of 2016 budget, saying the money was intended to transform the clinic to a centre of excellence.
It was gathered that the budget for the clinic in the proposal, is a whopping N3.2 billion which is mainly used by the President, the Vice President, their families, personal staff and few privileged officials, has been criticised by Nigerians online and on social media.
A review of the budget revealed that the N3.2 billion allocated for capital project at the state house clinic was more than the combined allocations for capital projects in all teaching hospitals in the country and also more than the total allocation for the construction of hospitals across the country.
When asked why the State House Clinic got more money allocated to it than teaching hospitals for capital projects, Permanent Secretary Arabi said the huge vote to the medical centre was based on the presidency’s desire to turn the facility to a centre of excellence.
His reaction came barely 24 hours after Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, dissociated himself from the controversial allocation to the hospital, saying the State House Clinic is not under his purview, adding that the figure should be checked again to make sure that those he described as 'rats' had not inflated the allocation to the clinic.
The permanent secretary for the presidency has now confirmed that the allocation the clinic was not doctored, but that the N3.2billion vote was deliberate.
Source: Premium Times