THE House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to set up ad hoc committee to investigate the deplorable condition of the State House Clinic and the alleged deductions from the salaries and allowances of the medical staff.
The House also commended the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha for her exemplary show of patriotism and selflessness.
The House resolution followed a motion sponsored by Honourable Henry Archibong entitled “need to investigate the deplorable condition of the State House Clinic and the alleged deductions from the salaries and allowances of the medical staff”.
The State House Clinic, he said was established to take care of the health needs of the President, the Vice-President, their family members as well as members of staff of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Hon Archibong in his motion said that “in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Appropriation Acts, the Clinic was allocated the sums of ₦3.94 billion, ₦3.87 billion and ₦3.2 billion respectively, for upgrading and provision of necessary drugs and equipment”.
The Clinic he further stated has, over the years, been receiving annual budgetary allocations to procure equipment that will enable it function optimally, stressing that “in spite of those huge budgetary allocations, the Clinic lacks necessary facilities such as syringes, drugs and equipment needed for saving lives”.
Speaking further, he said that “Medical Doctors working at the Clinic have expressed concern over alleged illegal deductions from their salaries and allowances by the Management since April 2017, without any official communication for the action”.
It will be recalled that the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari complained publicly during a stakeholder’s meeting on Reproductive, Maternal, Nutrition, Child Advocacy and Health and Nutrition (RMNCAHN) at the State House of her inability to access health care needs at the Clinic when she took ill recently, but was rather advised by the health providers to fly out of country for treatment.
According to him, “her refusal to heed the advice of the health providers and insisting on obtaining medical care in Nigeria saved the country millions of dollars in foreign exchange and was also an act of patriotism and selflessness worthy of commendation”.
The motion scaled through when the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara put the motion to voice vote.