Senate Committee Chairman on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs, Senator Danjuma La’ah has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari and other high profile persons would no longer be travelling abroad for medical treatment.
He spoke with journalists on Thursday in Abuja, after he presided over the State House budget defence for 2021.
He explained that a sum of N1.3 billion has been earmarked for the State House Clinic, which he said, would be used for equipping the Clinic to the best standard in 2021.
Speaking passionately about the State House Clinic, the lawmaker noted that Senate Committee would closely monitor the upgrade of the Clinic for the next two years to the extent that Presidents and other highly placed citizens not be travelling.
“I can confirm to you that Mr. President and other high profile persons would not be travelling outside the country for medical care or if anything happens wrongly.
“Mr. President must attend our hospitals for medical care and we must make sure that we
equip our hospital to be the best.
“The N1.3 billion 2021 for the State House clinic has already been approved, not that we are going to approve because I want this thing done and I want credit to go to the Committee.
“We want to leave a legacy in the State House Clinic that the Clinic we are requesting is done within the shortest time, possible; that is our concern; that is our primary responsibility.
“To achieve this, we will be going on oversight monthly for two years once money is provided to make sure that it is done.”
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the State House Clinic, expressed commitment of government to change the State Clinic narratives.
He said the proposal of N1.3 billion component of the 2021 budget proposal was not in dispute, saying he had the privilege of defending it when he was interrogated by the Senate Panel.
“Thank you very much for this question. I want to disagree with you because, you made a statement on my behalf which is not true and let me make my own statement because right now, I am the person in charge here.
“I had the privilege of appearing before this August Committee for a review of our performance for 2020 budget. We were also given opportunity to highlight and defend our budget proposal.
“I took over as Permanent Secretary State House in April this year and in the last six months, we have made giant stride so far.
