The House of Representatives has introduced a bill to prohibit all public and civil servants and their immediate family members from patronising private schools and health care services.
Sponsored by Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah (LP, Abia), the proposed legislation titled “Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill, 2025” (HB.2487) passed its first reading on Tuesday.
The bill intends to avoid conflicts of interest, maintain public trust, and ensure the high, uncompromised standards and integrity of public educational and health institutions.
Briefing journalists on the merits of the planned law, Ogah recalled that before Nigeria attained independence and became a republic, her foremost statesmen all had their education in government schools.
“Sir Ahmadu Bello went to Sokoto Provincial school and Katsina Training College, now Barewa College, while Nnamdi Azikiwe went to a mission school, Holy Trinity College and Christ Church school, all in Onitsha. Likewise, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Tafawa Balewa.
“The penchant for patronising private educational institutions and health care services was alien to our democrats of old, but today, it has become an unwholesome trend for both public and civil servants to seek private educational institutions and medical care for themselves and their family members to the detriment of the economy of our country,” he said.
The lawmaker noted that in 2024, Nigeria allocated a total of N1.336 trillion Naira to health care in the budget, which is a far cry from the estimated N1.6 trillion Naira or over $1 billion that Nigerians spend annually on medical treatments abroad.
The chairman of the House committee on HIV/AIDS/Malaria and Tuberculosis
Also, during the eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Nigerians spent at least $29.29 billion on foreign medical expenses.
He said that in education, Nigeria spent $38.17 million on foreign education expenses between January and March 2024, while in 2023, it spent a whopping $218.87 million.
“The time for us all to tell ourselves the truth is now; we can no longer continue to inflict serious damage to the psyche of Nigerians. The time to be patriotic is now. If we have started the removal of petroleum subsidy, we must also enforce this bill to prohibit the patronising of private schools and health care services by public and civil Servants.
“Because of the patronage of private schools and health care facilities, our institutions of learning and medical care have become a shadow of themselves, with little or no infrastructural development and fallen standards of services. We must restore confidence in our government institutions, such as public schools and government hospitals, to promote our country’s image in the community of Nations.
“It does not speak well of our country that our Presidents and notable government functionaries are seen to be going abroad for medical treatment and even dying in the process. This Bill intends to put a stop to all this medical and educational tourism among public and civil servants.
“I therefore call on Nigerians and indeed the Fourth Estate of the Realm to join me in supporting this Bill and begin a new Consciousness of promoting our health care and educational institutions,” Ogah added.
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