– President Buhari who was away for 51 days on medical vacation has been under pressure to disclose the cost of his treatment.
– Nigerians asked the president to be transparent in disclosing the bills since the money spent was tax payers money and the people deserved to know
– Efforts to get the presidency reveal the said amount has been futile
President Buhari who recently returned back to the country after 51 days on medical vacation in the UK is under pressure to declare his medical cost
Despite his return, Nigerians have continued to react to President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical vacation as pressures are mounting on him to disclose the amount of money spent on his medical treatment in London.
Consequently, it was speculated that the president spent between £200 and £250 per hour for his medical services in the UK, according to Punch.
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At the black market rate of N550 to £1, the unsubstantiated speculation indicates that the president might have spent nothing less that N137,500 per hour for his treatment.
Calling for a full disclosure of the president’s medical bills, Executive Director, SERAP, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, said:
“Pursuant to the FOI Act, which was signed into law in 2011, every Nigerian has a right to know from any public office holder any information they think they must have.
“So, the Presidency should provide categorical answer to the question as Buhari’s medical bill abroad. This is a democracy and in democracy, there can be no opaqueness, everything must be clear and open.”
Similarly, president, Campaign for Democracy, Bako Usman, was of the same opinion that Buhari should be transparent with the use of public funds, especially as the party had attained power on the basis of its promise to bring positive change to the country.
Usman said: “Whenever you are presiding over a set of people, irrespective of how large or little they are, there is nothing as good as having a very prudent housekeeping.
“That will add value to your credibility and transparency as regards the leadership role you are playing over such people. With the change mantra, we expect things to be done differently and more transparently. We expect more openness in governance.
“So the President should make available the cost of his medical treatment abroad. Someone advocating for a corrupt free society is supposed to be open. This government’s ‘Change Begins With Me’ campaign will be appreciated by the citizens if the President is open and transparent.
“It started as a vacation for 10 days and then extended to two weeks, three weeks and eventually to about 50 days. Nigerians have a right to know much the president spent and he should give Nigerians such information and let there be transparency and openness as regards whatever the administration is doing.”
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Also, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership agreed that the president should declare his medical bills
According to the organisation’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran: “If the money with which the President treated himself abroad did not come from his purse, then he is under obligation to disclose to Nigerians how much he spent from our money on his health care.
“As the results of the tests he had are out and the treatment has been done, there is no reason why the President should not tell us what was wrong with him and how much was spent on him. I believe that the President will not want to dent his image with this.
“When his aides said he was hale and hearty, he came back to say that he was indeed very ill. And he has said many things different from what his lieutenants want us to believe.
“We want to know how much he has spent except if the money came directly from his pocket. If it was from the purse of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, then he is under obligation to disclose the cost of his treatment to Nigerians.”
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), also added his voice to the call. He said: “While the President cannot be compelled to disclose the nature of his illness, if public funds are spent (on his health care), Nigerians are entitled to know how much was spent.
“Nigerians should know how much has been spent on the medical expenses incurred by the President in the United Kingdom since according to him; he has had the best of medical treatment.”
According to Punch, when contacted on the president’s medical bills, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, preached patience while promising to get the cost which was not done as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, in the video below, Nigerians have continued to react to the return of President Muhammadu Buhari after 51 days of absence.
Also, the president on his return directed the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to act appropriately and with dispatch in releasing the second tranche of the London-Paris Club refunds to the states in order to ease their financial hardships.
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