Review cuts in health, education budgets

The Federal Government in the revised 2020 budget drastically cut the allocations earlier voted for the health and education sectors. Specifically, provision for education was cut by 54% while that of health was cut by 42%. For instance, the N111 billion budgeted for Universal Basic Education was slashed to N51 billion while that of basic […]

The Federal Government in the revised 2020 budget drastically cut the allocations earlier voted for the health and education sectors.

Specifically, provision for education was cut by 54% while that of health was cut by 42%.

For instance, the N111 billion budgeted for Universal Basic Education was slashed to N51 billion while that of basic healthcare was reduced from N44 billion to N25 billion.

But the government however voted a whooping N27 billion as renovation for the National Assembly Complex in the revised budget.

Health and education sectors are too critical to be toyed with.

I therefore urge the government to cut down non-essential budgetary allocations to make more funds available for the health and education sectors.

The renovation of the National Assembly Complex which is to gulp N27 billion is not necessary at this time and the budget provision should be diverted to critical sectors that will have direct bearing on the masses.

 

Roland Uwa writes from Enugu