The National Assembly has announced its decision to increase the health allocation in the 2017 budget submitted to it by President Muhammadu Buhari to N1.2trillion from N304billion.
National Assembly says it will increase health budget from N304bn to N1.2trn in the appropriation bill President Buhari presented to it late last year.
Daily Trust reports that the decision to increase the health budgetary allocation of the country health sector was because the N304billion failed to reach the 15 per cent agreed at the 2001 African Union Abuja declaration.
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Senator Lanre Tejuosho (APC, Ogun), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, told newsmen on Wednesday, February 8 that the budget would be increased to enable the country's address the challenges facing the health sector.
"There shall be increased appropriation by the National Assembly to the health sector in line with the African Union Abuja declaration of 2001,which recommends a minimum of 15 percent of total annual budget to be dedicated to health," he said.
He added: "The 8th National Assembly is committed to improving health conditions, health standards and service delivery through realistic appropriation and judicious utilization, driven by legislative oversight.”
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In the present allocation, the Ministry of Health and its health-related parastatals got N304billion but could see this rise to N1.2trillion if the National Assembly implements the 15 per cent declaration.
Meanwhile, minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 drew the ire of the Senate over his comment on the $30 billion foreign loan request sent to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Amaechi, at a town hall meeting organized in Ilorin, Kwara state by the federal government on Monday, February 6, had asked Nigerians to prevail on the National Assembly to approve the request and make money available to the country for projects.