HYPOCRITICAL BUHARI TRAVELS ABROAD FOR TREATMENT AFTER ALLOCATING $19.5M TO PRESIDENTIAL CLINIC

After allocating about N3.87billion ($19.5 million) to the Presidential clinic in the 2016 budget, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari travels to London on Monday to see a doctor regarding a persistent ear infection.
The president in the 2016 appropriation allocated $19.5 million to the Aso Rock clinic, meant to serve him, the Vice President and staff of the presidential villa. The money outweighs what is budgeted for the 16 federal medical centers owned by the Federal government across the country.
Despite the whopping amount allocated the clinic which serves less than a thousand people, compared to the 16 Federal medical centers which serve millions of Nigerians, the president will not be treated at the Aso Rock clinic.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian leader canceled a local trip to the oil rich Niger-Delta for an environmental cleanup of ogoni Land and another trip to Lagos, the country’s commercial nerve. Some media reports claim the cancellation of the two local trips and one international trip to Senegal, recently, was because of his health condition. Although his spokespersons have consistently
denied that the president was suffering from any illness.
President Buhari was elected on his vows to fight corruption and end the activities of Boko Haram insurgents. His scheduled medical trip will raise questions about the sincerity the president who consistently criticized leaders in the past, for spending billions on medical tourism abroad. He had also earlier in the year announced that the federal government would no longer provide funds for government officials travelling abroad for treatment unless the case cannot be handled in Nigeria. Travelling abroad for treatment is seen as one of the top sources of capital flight. As of 2015, Nigeria was said to be losing over $1 billion.
In an interview with online news platform Premium Times in April, immediate past president of the Nigerian Medical Association Osahon Enabulele asked for more than just the Nigerian government’s announcement. “There has to be leadership by example,” he said. “I therefore beckon on Mr. President for instance to show leadership by declaring publicly that he himself will not be one of those that will do that. In other words, even for ordinary check-ups, he has to do it within the country and not allow himself or others to jump on the next available flight to seek such care outside the country.” The president did not oblige.
Nigeria’s President Buhari also maintains a fleet of 11 aircraft after
promising Nigerians during his campaigns that the aircraft will be deployed to the country’s national carrier.



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