Buhari Must Do Something About Missing Public Funds – SERAP

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari over the missing N3,836,685,213.13 public funds.

SERAP recently revealed this via a statement by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

According to him, suing the president had to happen because he has done nothing to probe the alleged missing funds that was meant for the Federal Ministry of Health, teaching hospitals, medical centres, and National Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

He added that it is sad that the funds have been clearly mismanaged, diverted or stolen, yet PMB has shown no concern to look into the matter.

His words, “Transparency and accountability in the management of health funds is essential for promoting access of people living in poverty to physical and mental healthcare, satisfactory health conditions, equality and non-discrimination, development, as well as good governance and the rule of law.”

“The failure to investigate the alleged missing health funds, bring suspected perpetrators to justice, and to recover any missing public funds has exposed millions of poor Nigerians to serious health risks, amounting to violations of constitutional and international human rights and anti-corruption obligations.”

“The fight against corruption in the health sector is vital for the effective enjoyment of the right to health by socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians, which in turn is essential to all aspects of a person’s life and well-being, and to the realisation of all the other fundamental human rights.”

“Corruption in the health sector forces socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians to seek health services and treatment in unsafe and unregulated environments, leaving them susceptible to avoidable injuries and death.”

“Poor Nigerians are not enjoying the right to health maximally because the Nigerian government is failing to address systemic corruption in the health sector, thereby rendering the authorities incapable of providing the basic amenities, infrastructure and resources that facilitate the full enjoyment of the right to health.”

“A corrupt and dysfunctional health care system can hardly fulfil the physical and health needs of citizens. Such a system denies people access to the highest attainable standard of health care and simultaneously undermines their ability to pursue personal development and prosperity.”

“The Nigerian government has the legal obligations to take the necessary measures to protect the health of the Nigerian people and to ensure that they receive medical attention when they are sick.”

“This means taking prompt measures to investigate the alleged missing health funds, to ensure that health systems can deliver quality health care and services in an equal and non-discriminatory manner.”

“The failure to promptly investigate the alleged missing health funds, bring suspected perpetrators to justice and to recover any missing public funds has continued to have serious implications for the ability of the government particularly the health ministry and agencies under its control to meet the health needs of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.”

“By the combined reading of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the Public Procurement Act, and the country’s obligations including under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, President Buhari and his government have legal duties to promptly probe allegations of corruption in the spending of health funds, and to ensure access of poor Nigerians to quality healthcare.”