How Devolution of Power Will Impact Nigeria’s Health Sector, Powerful Northern Governor Reveals

• The growing call for restructuring has once again been brought forward ahead of the 2023 general election
• Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state recently stated that a proper restructuring will help transform the health sector
• The minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed in her own view believes that a proper framework for accountability will do the magic

FCT, Abuja - The governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, says the Nigerian health sector can be revived if some major steps are to be taken.

He stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, November 15, at the High-Level Forum on the SDGs held in line with the 28th National Economic Summit.

Governor Tambuwal told Legit.ng that a proper restructuring in financial support to subnational will go a long way in reviving healthcare in Nigeria.

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He also revealed a need to fund healthcare and a sense of responsibility for those at the helm.

Governor Tambuwal said:

“If that is done, with good governance, I’m sure we’ll see a lot of improvement in universal health coverage."

During the panelist session tagged “Universal Coverage and the Basic Healthcare Funds”, Governor Tambuwal revealed that proper devolution of power and freeing more resources for the local and state governments would go a long way in improving the health sector.

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He stated that even though President Muhammadu Buhari is in the penultimate year to the end of his tenure, it was not too late for him to synchronize with the national assembly to make some adjustments to the revenue-sharing formula.

The minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed, said the issue of accountability needs serious consideration in the bid to foster a good healthcare system across the federation.

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She said:

“I think the implementations of the law are already in place, also we need the implementation of a robust accountability framework so that we are able to track the performance of the fund and how it’s impacting the people.”

She noted that if an accountability framework is in place, it will be easier to access major funds to foster a good healthcare system.

Similarly, the executive director of the International Society of Media in Public Health, Moji Makanjuola, said it is important to deploy capacity at the local government level because they have the purview to look at primary healthcare.

She said:

“We should be deliberate about having a variable cost health media cell that can understand, analyse, and bring the right information out.

“It’s a collective responsibility, if we must change things, we must stop what we are doing in the 18th century and bring the 21 century to the fold.”

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Meanwhile, amid the ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ranks, fresh facts about reconciliation have emerged.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state said the talks are ongoing to conclude reconciliation with the party.

He revealed the rumoured rift between him and Governor Nyesom Wike was not true as he described his Rivers state colleague as a friend and a brother.

Source: Legit.ng