Politicians buy Prado SUVs, while hospitals struggle – Mahdi Shehu
Nigerian Political Leaders’ Spending Practices Criticized
Mahdi Shehu has criticized what he calls reckless public spending by Nigerian political leaders, particularly highlighting the disparity between costly government perks and the deteriorating state of public healthcare.
In a post on X, Shehu pointed out the use of expensive Toyota Prado vehicles by politicians while many government hospitals struggle to provide essential services. He noted that each Prado, costing approximately ₦230 million, stands in stark contrast to the urgent medical needs faced by citizens.
“One Toyota Prado jeep can buy 20 sets of brand-new double compartment incubators with phototherapy light,” Shehu remarked, emphasizing the dire situation in some hospitals, where newborns are reportedly cared for on plastic chairs due to a lack of available incubators.
Shehu further expressed concern over the billions of naira spent on private plane charters for governors and members of the National Assembly, despite the ongoing neglect of critical health infrastructure.
He also addressed broader issues of mismanagement of public funds, specifically citing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL), which has not accounted for nearly ₦600 trillion in funds from 2017 to 2023.
“At a time when public office holders and politicians seek medical treatment abroad, this is not democracy,” he concluded. “This is governance inflicted upon a people unlike any seen in the world.”
