IN A COUNTRY where millions of citizens face huge daily struggles to access basic healthcare, the recent approval of extravagant retirement benefits for Nigeria’s top military personnel, including $20,000 (31,084,000 at prevailing exchange rate) annual medical allowances for foreign treatment, is not only insensitive but also totally outrageous.
This policy, embedded in the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers and Enlisted Personnel in the Nigerian Armed Forces (HTACOS), epitomises the absolute disconnect of our political leadership from governance ethos and civility. It is a glaring symptom of the manifest lack of vision and the absence of a clear sense of value in the ranks of Nigeria’s ruling elite in the context of the generalised decadence of the populace.
While the sacrifices of our military personnel are undeniable, the rewards for service should not come at the expense of national development, equity and social justice. It is a shame that the same government that fails to pay living pensions to Rank-and-File Retired Soldiers finds it convenient to provide luxurious perks to top Generals of the same Military. This disparity deepens public disenchantment and reinforces the perception, which, in fact, is the reality, that governance in Nigeria serves the elite at the expense of poor masses.
It is no secret that Nigeria’s health system is a shadow of what it ought to be. Here we are with our public hospitals and other health facilities in terrible shapes – underfunded, ill-equipped, and plagued by massive brain drain – forcing majority of Nigerians to rely on substandard care or face exorbitant costs at private health facilities.
Against this backdrop, the government’s decision to fund medical tourism for retired generals not only highlights its misplaced priorities but also emphasises its lack of confidence in the very system it oversees.
For decades, successive administrations have paid lip service to healthcare reform, with budgetary allocations far below the recommended 15% of national spending under the 2001 Abuja Declaration by Heads of State of African Union countries. The result? Crumbling infrastructure, shortages of essential drugs, and overworked healthcare personnel.
While the wealthy can fly abroad for treatment, ordinary Nigerians are left at the mercy of failing or failed hospitals/healthcare system.
This trend therefore extends beyond retired Generals. Top government officials, including the President, routinely seek medical care in foreign countries, spending billions of naira annually at public expense, even as local hospitals, as noted by General Sani Abacha over four decades ago, ‘have become mere consulting clinics’, where poor Nigerians go to embrace death.
The irony is painfully tragic just as the hypocrisy is equally glaringly moronic: if Nigeria’s healthcare system is not good enough for its leaders, how can it be good to serve her millions of citizens?
Medical tourism drains resources that could otherwise revitalise the health sector. The $20,000 allocated annually for each retired general’s foreign treatment, when multiplied across numerous beneficiaries, represents a significant outflow of public funds that can definitely not be sustained. This money could fund the construction of new hospitals, procure state-of-the-art equipment, or improve the welfare of healthcare workers, many of whom have fled Nigeria in search of better opportunities abroad.
Beyond the above nuances, the Generals’ foreign medical allowances is an obvious reminder of the inequality that plagues Nigeria. It is a call to action for citizens – especially trade unions, civil society, and healthcare professionals – to demand better from the ruling class.
Numerous critics, including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), have rightly pointed out the absurdity of prioritising foreign treatment while neglecting local healthcare facilities. Ironically, many of the doctors who treat these elites abroad are Nigerian expatriates, a stark reminder of the talent exodus orchestrated by systemic neglect, corruption and insensitivity of our ruling class.
President Tinubu’s approved benefits package for our retired Generals, which includes bulletproof SUVs, domestic aides, and security details, amongst other sumptuous perks, further expose the government’s skewed priorities. It is difficult to justify such largesse in a country struggling with widespread poverty, rising unemployment, and an inflation rate that continues to erode citizens’ purchasing power.
While the sacrifices of our military personnel are undeniable, the rewards for service should not come at the expense of national development, equity and social justice. It is a shame that the same government that fails to pay living pensions to Rank-and-File Retired Soldiers finds it convenient to provide luxurious perks to top Generals of the same Military. This disparity deepens public disenchantment and reinforces the perception, which, in fact, is the reality, that governance in Nigeria serves the elite at the expense of poor masses.
The path to a healthier Nigeria lies in prioritising local solutions over foreign dependencies. Instead of allocating millions for medical tourism, President Tinubu ought to have been pragmatic in channelling these funds into upgrading our healthcare infrastructure, equipping hospitals with modern facilities, and incentivising skilled professionals to remain in the country.
By investing in healthcare reform, the government can ensure that quality medical care is accessible to all Nigerians, regardless of their socio-economic status. This would not only reduce the need for medical tourism but also restore public confidence in the system, and providing sufficient impetus for our Diaspora medical experts to return home.
Moreover, there must be a shift in leadership accountability. Policymakers and government officials should lead by example by seeking treatment locally to demonstrate their commitment to strengthening the system they manage. A healthy nation cannot be built on a foundation of elitism, neglect and a perpetual inclination to run overseas for the slightest illness.
Beyond the above nuances, the Generals’ foreign medical allowances is an obvious reminder of the inequality that plagues Nigeria. It is a call to action for citizens – especially trade unions, civil society, and healthcare professionals – to demand better from the ruling class.
The time has come to prioritise the health of the nation over the comfort of the ruling elite. Anything less is a betrayal of the Nigerian people and the comfortable future they deserve in view of our human and natural assets.
