Our Reporter, Abuja
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has faulted the Federal Government’s approval of ₦142 billion for the construction of bus terminals across the six geopolitical zones, describing the move as another evidence of misplaced priorities and poor governance.
In a post on his official X handle on Friday, Obi, who argued that the difference between the success and failure of development in any nation was dependent on the management of scarce resources, said the allocation reflects a lack of competence, focus, and genuine leadership in addressing Nigeria’s most pressing needs.
“The recent announcement that a sum of ₦142 billion has been approved by the Federal Government for the construction of one bus terminal in each of our six geopolitical zones further affirms the lack of competence, lack of focus and poor leadership,” the main opposition politician averred.
He noted that in the 2024 budget currently being implemented, the combined allocation for all federal university teaching hospitals and psychiatric centres nationwide is less than ₦100 billion, yet the government earmarked a higher amount for bus terminals.
“This is disturbing, considering that health is one of the most critical areas of development, which is deteriorating and remains grossly underfunded,” Obi said.
He further cited a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report which revealed that over 20 million Nigerians are living with mental health conditions, underscoring the urgency for increased investment in healthcare rather than infrastructure of “secondary importance.”
Obi maintained that the decision exemplifies poor governance and wrong prioritisation of scarce resources.
“This is not only a misplaced priority but a tragic irony of our country. This is not governance,” he insisted.
