Education and health are the pillars of human capital development in modern society. It’s no news to Nigerians that we have intractable difficulties developing these sectors of our society. However, what seems to elude the public is the tricky situation we have at hand. As a rule, people of adequate means do not patronize public primary and secondary schools; they may take a shot at public universities but will quickly compliment that with some private or foreign education. Same for health services, as they will not patronize primary or secondary health facilities; may try tertiary health facilities but will always compliment these with private or foreign medical care. This is fine for private citizens who have an economic responsibility to encourage excellence through patronage. However, this becomes an “IRONY” when public office holders as a rule, do likewise. At the slightest opportunity, they jet out for simple foreign medical checkups in open indignation of medical services here, which they are avowed to fix. They set up free education and free medical programs which themselves or their colleagues will never use. It is not far from the truth to say that no governor’s child (and politically upwards) attends a public school in this country and that no Nigerian minister takes regular treatment in public hospitals. This cannot be ignored.

It is noteworthy, that these political office holders (President, ministers, senators, governors, commissioners or even LGA chairmen, etc) have far reaching influence over these public institutions: schools, health facilities, etc. Influence which they hold in trust for the people; I beg to question? How can Nigerians in good judgment trust that the political class are doing all in their power to support essential services, when at the same time we expect them not to use these services? We do not question their right to liberty of private capital, what is on trial here, is to what extent do we need to emphasize the significance of individual commitments in public service delivery, in a nation with dire needs.

Here, we propose a bill to the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY for DEMONSTRATED NATIONAL INTEREST COMMITMENTS FROM PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS. I believe this will best be achieved with an amendment to THE CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU AND TRIBUNAL ACT – with a clause, which will require the following of elected and appointed political office holders:

• That elected public officials and their nuclear families shall only use public educational and/or health facilities while incumbent
• That appointed public officials as individuals shall only use public educational and/or health services while incumbent
• In a situation where it is expedient that an official or his family must seek like services outside public domain, he shall honorably resign and cater to those pressing private needs” – special considerations could be articulated for ambassadors and appointees statutorily resident in foreign countries.

Anyone who for good reason may not be able to make these commitments should not take up public office. Let the field be narrowed down to candidates who are willing to bet such personal stake in our government institutions. The implication of this is SELF EVIDENT. What happened to our Federal Government Colleges? The National Hospital, Abuja can be endowed to host local and foreign medical faculty and deliver a broad range of world class medical services. This will cut back on the high medical tourism we seek in other countries. The truth remains, that at in the very least, some of these facilities and institutions could easily be made centers of excellence. When doctors go on strike and the families of all serving politician even the president himself is being denied adequate medical attention, the consequence of the strike cannot be thrown under the carpet. When teachers go on strike and the children of all serving power brokers in the land seat at home, then we can in truth understand which of these problems are imagined and which is real.

We need to talk about this, debate it, and share it.

#DemonstrateCommitmentNigeria