Senate ‘Bans’ Buhari From Foreign Medical Trips

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government officials should no longer engage in foreign medical trips.

This position was adopted by Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs when the State House permanent secretary, Tijani Umar appeared before it to defend the 2021 budget figures for the State House.

The N19.7bn total budget for the State House, N1.3bn was reserved for the State House Clinic.

This prompted the lawmakers to declare that President Buhari and other top government officials that have access to the State House Clinic should be prevented from embarking on foreign medical trips so the State House clinic can be more functional.

The Chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Danjuma La’ah, said the committee would approve the budget for the State House Clinic but reiterated the recommendation that the President and other top officials of his government should no longer be flown abroad for medical treatment.

In his reaction, while speaking with newsmen after the budget defence, the permanent secretary said the Senate recommendation would be worked upon once the budget was approved.