Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the Federal Government’s decision to approve ₦142 billion for the construction of modern bus terminals across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, describing it as another case of misplaced priorities.
In a statement on Friday titled “₦142 Billion for Bus Terminals,” Obi said the decision underscores incompetence and poor leadership in managing the country’s limited resources.
“The difference between the success and failure of the development in any nation is how you prioritise your scarce resources,” he said. “The recent announcement that a sum of ₦142 billion has been approved by the Federal Government for the construction of one bus terminal in each of our six geopolitical zones further affirms the lack of competence, lack of focus and poor leadership.”
Obi compared the allocation to the health sector, highlighting that the combined budget for all teaching hospitals and federal psychiatric centres nationwide is less than ₦100 billion in the 2024 national budget.
“This is disturbing, considering that health is one of the most critical areas of development, which is deteriorating and remains grossly underfunded,” he said. “WHO recently reported that over 20 million Nigerians are living with mental health issues. This is not only a misplaced priority but a tragic irony of our country. This is not governance.”
The Federal Executive Council recently approved the ₦142 billion allocation for bus terminals as part of plans to modernise transport infrastructure. However, Obi insists that investments in healthcare and other essential sectors should take precedence.
