By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
Bauchi State stakeholders have called on the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate to ensure improved governance of health financing and educate citizens on their rights to know about the utilization of billions of Naira allocated to over 8,000 health facilities.
The spokesman of the stakeholders who is also the Director of Andiwa Farmers Association, Dr. Yahaya Ibrahim made this known in Azare, headquarters of Katagum local government area of Bauchi state.
He stated that rural people, peasant farmers, and vulnerable communities need to be educated on how to access healthcare facilities and know the amount of money allocated to them.
The group commended BudgIT, a civic tech organization, for seeking information on the utilization of the funds under the Freedom of Information Act, and urged the minister to allow independent monitoring of the funds and equip hospitals with necessary equipment.
The federal government has vowed to track all monies released for the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in its new 2.0 Guidelines, aiming to improve healthcare delivery, enhance governance, and ensure transparency and accountability in health fund management.
According to Dr Yahaya, “I saw a letter circulating on social media a reputable organisation BudgIt under Freedom of information asking the Minister of Health to give them information on the utilisation of these funds, but several weeks after, we didn’t hear anything from the ministry which is against the rule of law”.
He said since the ministry is a product of law including the minister, it is necessary for the ministry to establish the ministry to explain within seven days, not only to BudgIt but to Nigerians about the utilisation of the funds.
“Keeping silent will not help matters, everyone knows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a Democrat who respect the rule of law, and everyone knows BudgIT Foundation is a civic tech organisation raising the standards of transparency, accountability, and service delivery in the Nigerian government and governance”, Dr. Yahaya said.
He stressed that BudgIT Foundation uses creative technology to simplify public information, stimulate a community of active citizens, and enable their right to demand accountability, institutional reforms, efficient service delivery, and an equitable society.
He further observed that Tracka, a program under BudgIT, has been supporting communities to track government/constituency projects in the community for the sole purpose of ensuring that projects are delivered for the development of the community and the improvement of the lives of the citizens.
“They wrote pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, to formally request access to information regarding the recent third-round funding disbursement through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund”, he added.
Dr. Yahaya said “specifically, the request includes the following information, the complete list of the 8,000+ health facilities that are meant to benefit from the recent third round funding amounting to N32.9 billion, the precise location (including state and local government area) of each of these benefiting facilities”.
He emphasized on accountability and transparency in the management of health funds while bringing more funding to the sector at the sub-national level.