By Gloria Ikibah
The lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rep. Amobi Godwin Ogah, has called for sweeping reforms in Nigeria’s public service sector with the introduction of a bill seeking to prohibit all public and civil servants, including their immediate family members from patronising private schools and healthcare services.
The proposed legislation, “Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill, 2025 (HB 2487), aims to restore confidence in Nigeria’s public schools and hospitals, which Ogah described as “a shadow of themselves.”
Addressing journalists at the National Assembly on Tuesday, Ogah drew historical comparisons, recalling how Nigeria’s founding fathers were products of government schools.
“Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen today marks a turning point in the history of our Nation as I move for the passage of the Bill on Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill, 2025. This Bill intends to prohibit all Public and Civil Servants, including their immediate Family members from patronizing Private Schools and Health care services in order to avoid conflict of interest, maintain public trust and ensure high uncompromised standards and integrity of these public institutions.
“Before Nigeria attained independence and became a republic, our foremost Statesmen all had their education in government schools. Sir Ahmadu Bello went to Sokoto Provincial school and Katsina Training College, now Barewa College, while Nnamdi Azikiwe went to a mission school, Holy Trinity College and Christ Church school all in Onitsha. Likewise Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Tafawa Balewa.”
Ogah lamented what he described as a modern-day over-reliance on private institutions.
He cited data on Nigeria’s spending on foreign medical and educational services.
“The penchant for patronising private educational institutions and health care services were alien to our democrats of old but today, it has become an unwholesome trend for both public and civil servants to seek private educational institutions and medical care for themselves and their family members to the detriment of the economy of our Country.
“In 2024 Nigeria allocated a total of N1.336 trillion Naira to health care in the 2024 budget, which is a far cry from the estimated N1.6 trillion Naira or over $1 billion dollars, Nigerians spend annually on medical treatments abroad. Nigerians also spent at least $29.29 billion dollars on foreign medical expenses during the 8 years of late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. In education Nigeria spent $38.17 million on foreign education expenses between January and March, 2024 while in 2023 she spent a whopping $218.87 million dollars”, he revealed.
The federal lawmaker therefore urged Nigerians to embrace patriotism by strengthening public institutions rather than funding foreign or private ones:
“The time for us all to tell ourselves the truth is now; we can no longer continue to inflict serious damage to the psyche of Nigerians. The time to be patriotic is now. If we have started the removal of petroleum subsidy, we must also enforce this bill to prohibit the patronizing of private schools and health care services by Public and Civil Servants.
“Because of the patronage of private schools and health care facilities, our institutions of leaning and medical care have become a shadow of themselves, with little or no infrastructural development and fallen standards of services. We must of necessity restore confidence in our government institutions, like public schools and government hospitals, thereby promoting the image of our country in the comity of Nations. It does not speak good of our country, that our Presidents and notable government functionaries are seen to be going abroad for medical treatment and even dying in the process. This Bill intends to put a stop to all this medical and educational tourism among public and civil servants”, he added.
Ogah appealed to Nigerians and the media to join in promoting the bill, unveiling two official campaign hashtags:
“I therefore call on Nigerians and indeed the Fourth Estate of the Realm to join me in supporting this Bill and begin a new Consciousness of promoting our health care and educational institution. Let the campaign begin with hashtag #tagPromoteourschoolsandhealthcareservices; #tagPrivateinstitutionsandhealthcareservicesprovidersprohibitionBill2025″, he urged.
The bill, if passed, will mandate all public and civil servants to exclusively use public schools and government hospitals, a move Ogah insists will revive Nigeria’s struggling public institutions.
