Legislator Wants 1% Consolidated Revenue Fund for Health Included in 2016 Budget

The Chairman, House of Representatives' Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, said  the 1% health provision from Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) in the National Health Act 2014 was not too late for it to be included in the 2016 appropriation.

He assured that the committee would critically scrutinise the budget to work out the modality to accommodate the allocation to provide for effective health care services at all levels in the country.

The chairman stated this during an advocacy visit to Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and other partners, to advocate for funding and mobilisation of adequate budgetary allocation to child and family health in the country.

He stressed that “while the whole essence of advocacy is to educate and inform the legislature of important issues affecting the country, the issues affecting budgetary allocation to child and family canvassed by the group have informed the Committee to without further delay, constructively work out modality and prioritise the 1% Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) to the Health Sector as stipulated in the National Health Act, 2014,” Jibrin added.

The group was received by Deputy Majority Leader, Chairmen of House Committee on Appropriation, Health, Agriculture, Women Affairs, Finance, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Rules and Business, CSOs and Developmental Partners, Petroleum Down Stream as well as the Director General of National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS).

Speaking during the visit, CISLAC Program Manager, Chioma Kanu said it has a mandate to support government of Nigeria to identify and assist in scaling up high impact solutions that could help people lift themselves out of poverty and build better lives.