by Dolapo Adelana
The Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said revealing the amount spent on President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical vacation in the United Kingdom may jeopardise national security.
The Minister said this on Wednesday while who briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reacting to the calls for the President to disclose the amount spent on his medical treatment abroad, Mohammed said it was too sensitive to disclose the amount spent on the President’s health.
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He said, “This matter has come several times and our position on the matter is quite straight forward. What are the President’s conditions of service? What are his entitlements in terms of his wellbeing and health care? The state is supposed to take responsibility for these.
“We believe that asking for how much has been spent on the health of the President is an issue that we should weigh very well both for national security and also for moral issues.
“I don’t know why we must divulge such very sensitive information. I might be wrong but I don’t have experience elsewhere that the President of any country will be ill and be forced to disclose how much the state has spent on his health.
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“Yes, there is Freedom of Information Act but it is also carved in such a way that when such information is likely to endanger national security, I think it is an area that is not covered,” he said.
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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