SERAP drags Buhari, NASS to UN over cuts in health, UBE budgets, N27bn for renovation

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an urgent appeal to three UN special rapporteurs urging them to use their “mandates to urgently request the Nigerian government and the leadership of the National Assembly to immediately reverse the unlawful, disproportionate and discriminatory budget cuts to education and healthcare, and to stop the authorities from spending N27bn to renovate the National Assembly complex.”

The special rapporteurs are: Ms. Koumbou Boly Barry, Special Rapporteur on the right to education; Mr. Dainius Puras, Special Rapporteur on the right to health; and Mr. Olivier De Schutter, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.

In the revised 2020 budget approved yesterday, the Federal Government reportedly gave the National Assembly N27bn for the renovation of its complex, and cut health, Universal Basic Education budgets by over 50 percent. While the health budget is reduced from N44.4bn to N25.5bn, the UBE budget is reduced from N111.7bn to just N51.1bn.

In the urgent appeal dated June 3, 2020, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Nigerian authorities are putting politicians’ allowances and comfort before citizens’ human rights. The budget cuts show failure to address the growing economic and social inequality in the country, and to genuinely address the consequences of COVID-19 on the poor and marginalized groups.”

According to SERAP: “Nigeria’s budget deficits are caused by excessive expenditures on politicians’ allowances and mismanagement. Nigerian authorities would only be able to commit to fiscal discipline if they prioritise cutting the allowances of lawmakers and the costs of governance in general, rather than cutting critical funding for healthcare and education.”

SERAP said: “We believe that alternative policies and measures, such as reducing the costs of governance, including the excessive allowances for high-ranking public officials and the lawmakers, would have been a more appropriate solution to addressing budget deficits, as this would increase the available resources for healthcare and education, which in turn would contribute to reducing socio-economic inequality.”

The urgent appeal, read in part: “Nigerian authorities also ought to show that the budget cuts to healthcare and education are necessary and proportionate, in that they must be justifiable after the most careful consideration of all other less restrictive alternatives, for example excessive allowances for Nigerian lawmakers, and excessive costs of governance, in general.”

“According to SERAP’s information, criteria established in international standards have not been duly justified in the implementation of the budget cuts to healthcare and education. Instead, the cuts appear to be discriminatory against those most vulnerable to poverty and exclusion, and are not protective of the minimum core content of several human rights.”

“One of the pillars of the protection of the rights to healthcare and education is the obligation to progressively realize the rights set out in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, making use Nigeria’s maximum of available resources.”

“The budget cuts by Nigerian authorities are therefore of special concern as they directly affect the minimum core content of these rights, and impact directly or indirectly and disproportionally on those individuals already discriminated against or living in most vulnerable situations.”

“The number of Nigerians living in extreme poverty has increased since May 2015. The reduction in healthcare and education budgets would exacerbate the prevailing inequalities, poverty, and create a vicious circle of reduction in spending, and increments in socio-economic inequalities.”

“Without your urgent intervention, the Nigerian government and National Assembly would continue to spend the country’s maximum available resources to satisfy the opulent lifestyles of politicians rather than complying with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights to healthcare and education the poor and marginalized groups.”

“In compliance with article 2.2 of the Covenant, and the provision on progressive realisation of the rights to healthcare and education, States including Nigeria government and the National Assembly should not adopt impermissible retrogressive measure, unless strictly justifiable.”

“Retrogressive measures, meaning taking steps that would reduce the enjoyment of the rights to healthcare and education, are only permissible under certain strict circumstances.”

“SERAP believes that the onus is on the Nigerian government and the National Assembly to demonstrate that their proposed budget cuts will meet all their human rights obligations, notably by ensuring that measures during times of acute economic distress are legitimate, with the ultimate aim of protecting the totality of human rights.”

“SERAP believes that the budget cuts undermine the minimum core content of the rights to healthcare and education, and are discriminatory, in so far as they would increase socio-economic inequalities and undermine the rights of disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups, who will be disproportionately affected by the cuts.”

“The budget cuts are also inconsistent with Nigeria’s commitments to implement Sustainable Development Goals.”

SERAP therefore urged the special rapporteurs to put pressure on the Nigerian government and the National Assembly to:

1. Take immediate action to reverse the budget cuts to healthcare and education and to redirect the N27bn for the renovation of the National Assembly complex to increase healthcare and education budgets;

2. Provide information and details of impact assessments undertaken prior to cutting the budgets for healthcare and education;

3. Provide details of initiatives to cut the costs of governance;

4. Provide information about the government and National Assembly’s plans to ensure that people will enjoy access to healthcare and quality education; and the authorities’ plans to maintain progress towards the achievement of the SDGs, including to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all;

5. Provide details on specific steps taken to protect the rights of vulnerable and disenfranchised groups to access quality education; and to achieve the right to health of women and core-obligations which encompass maternal health care

http://serap-nigeria.org/serap-drags-buhari-nass-to-un-over-cuts-in-health-ube-budgets-n27bn-for-renovation.ngo/

This is a big shame to even think at this time the senator’s are just thinking about themselves while the Nation is falling apart

What do you expect from a set of kleptomaniacs who thinks they are doing us a favour by stealing us blind? Buhari is a crook and so are your so-called legislators. Those who brought Buhari should be ready to defend their actions when history comes calling. We may be docile today but you can be sure we are steadily inching towards the breaking point.
Nepotism, narcissism, ethnic and religious bigotry, lopsided appointments into offices in total disregard of the Constitution, barefaced fraud like the school feeding program etc etc.
And, by the way, where is Osinbajo? Will there be another twist to the tale?

The thing don red

Ok

- NASS building "renovation" for 469 members - N27.7bn..
- Basic health care for 774 local government and 200m populace in a pandemic - N25.5bn

how else can you determine irresponsible leaders if not this...

Every man for himself.... las las we go dey alright

Unrelenting jokers always trying to roam the intelligence of the masses.

make we dey wait the outcome

Very shameful, well he doesn't have a certificate so he won't understand the essence of quality education.

Abeg drag the idiot

SHARAP

SERAP people are just looking for esracodes for their people. UN my ass. Since when has it become possible for the UN to compel a sovereign nation to reverse budget cuts. The SERAP people are bunch of thieves themselves

The nation is driving into recession and some group of pot bellied men without comnon sense are thinking of how to renovate a building !

when are we ever gonna get it right ??

people are starving, no better palliative but u are busy dishing out 27Billion to renovate a building ....



las las na that building go fall press una there

nonesense !!

Even if by political alignment or some religious or cultural affiliation you don’t agree that the tyrant In Aso Rock is a crook, at least agree that he’s incompetent and we’re still on business as usual with stealing and corruption in government.

You're not wise. Should we do nothing since the NASS that's meant to check the executive are in cahoots with them?

honor4me:
SERAP people are just looking for esracodes for their people. UN my ass. Since when has it become possible for the UN to compel a sovereign nation to reverse budget cuts. The SERAP people are bunch of thieves themselves

YOU WILL DRAG EACH OTHER TILL THE END OF THE WORLD. KNOW JESUS CHRST GENUINELY AND KNOW PEACE.



PLEASE SIR/MA MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HIM HERE BEFORE YOU DIE, BCS GRACE ENDS HERE.

K

And some people are busy posting beautiful picture of Universities in Nigeria.

Nigeria is full of disappointments

That Nigeria still exist with the way it's being governed amazes me .

Millions of supposedly educated people are being bundled around by a few miscreants in the name of leadership, and nobody dares to put up a good and tangible resistance.

A man would even sell his land to pay for hospital Bill's or school fees for the kids. But the men here are bent on denying their 'kids' education and health care services just to purchase a land.

Whenever I read news like this, I always ponder, where is their conscience? No empathy, na tangible reasoning, nothing.

Instead of the youths to form a formidable force to retire this old folks, they are engaged in a more fruitless battle of ethnicity and religion. Here( on nairaland), you will see them defending their oppressors with every ounce of intelligence in them just to spite the other person whose idea doesn't align with theirs. And do not show any trace of being better of when entrusted with power.

Nigeria will burn. In fact, it's burning already. It's just a matter of time before that which we have decided to ignore consumes us all.

Headquarters of corruption and paradise for politicians.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg7lfHL_l1w

It is well

How did these clueless business men and women become leaders?

How I long missed the Saraki led Senate.

Why can't the Jerry Rowling's method be adopted in this nation for once?

God, who ever is out there as a leader to make the masses suffer more than the present, may they all summersault and die.

Nigerians!! See your wonderful leaders....all apc sycophants just left the chat group, defending won't be possible at the junction.

N-Power Device Collection And Matters Arising Non-issuance of Npower device with particular reference to the Batch B category of the Npower program is a clear act of marginalization. All beneficiaries of the scheme are equal stakeholders with the same measure of entitlements generated towards giving a fair level playing ground. “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”. https://thenigeriafm.com/n-power-device-collection-and-matters-arising/

This ordinarily would have been the work of the National Assembly but then...

Okay

The only thing I noticed on nairaland lately is that nobody defends Buhari and APC again.. Everyone now know that they are clueless..