Hon. Amobi Ogah, the lawmaker representing Isuikwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State, has proposed a bill that seeks to ban public and civil servants from sending their children to private schools or using private hospitals.
The bill, which was introduced during Tuesday's plenary session at the House of Representatives, aims to restore accountability and rebuild trust in the nation's public institutions.
Speaking to the press, Ogah said the proposed law would compel government officials to invest in and use the same public systems they are responsible for managing.
"This bill is a turning point for Nigeria," he said. "It's time our public officers stop running to private options and instead fix the public services that serve the majority of our people."
Ogah drew comparisons to Nigeria's founding leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and Sir Tafawa Balewa, who all attended public or mission schools but still went on to lead the nation with vision and purpose.
He noted that the consistent preference of government functionaries for private education and foreign healthcare has worsened the decay in public institutions and created a system of inequality.
Citing official statistics, Ogah revealed that Nigerians spent over $29 billion on medical trips abroad during former President Muhammadu Buhari's eight-year administration.
In 2023 alone, $218.87 million was reportedly spent on foreign education, with an additional $38.17 million already recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
This, he said, is despite the N1.34 trillion allocated to the health sector in the 2024 national budget.
"If we had the political will to remove fuel subsidy, then we must also find the courage to reform our public schools and hospitals," he added.
The lawmaker warned that the continued neglect of public institutions by those in power only deepens public distrust and hampers development.
He described the bill as not just a legislative proposal but a national wake-up call, urging citizens, civil society groups, and the media to join the movement.
To drive public support, Ogah launched a social media advocacy campaign with the hashtags: #PromoteOurSchoolsAndHealthcareServices and#PrivateInstitutionsAndHealthcareServicesProhibitionBill2025.
"I urge every Nigerian who believes in a better future to support this bill. Let's rebuild our institutions and give our children a reason to believe in Nigeria again," he said.
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