Civil Society backs Ogah, House Rep Member over bill on private schools, hospitals

By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha

The Congress for Civil Society (CCS) Anambra State chapter has thrown its weight behind Hon.Amobi Ogah’s latest bill in the House of Representatives, seeking to ban public officers and civil servants from sending their children to private schools and attending private hospitals.
The bill titled: The Private Institutions Healthcare Services (Provision) Bill 2025 has already gone through first reading in the green chamber.
The bill if passed would have public officers who flout it sent to jail for a period between two weeks and three months or an option of fine of N200,000 and one million naira.
It will also seeks to sack from public or civil service, revocation of professional licences for private healthcare providers who violate the law.
The bill which is expected to take effect from next year if passed mandates the anti-corruption agencies: Code of Conduct Bureau, ICPC, Police, and independent whistle blowers to report the violators.
The CCS in a State endorsed by Comrade Damian Ogudike asked the House of Representatives and the National Assembly to
accelerate the passage of the bill which according to them would bring sanity into our education and health sector.
The group in the statement lauded Hon. Ogah, representing Isikwuato/ Umunochi Federal Constituency of Abia State for his bold move to address the issue of abuse of our health and education sectors by public and civil servants who preside over these institutions but failed to patronise them because of their poor services.
The rights group said before the bill passes the second reading, the House should amend it to also include politicians whether elected or appointed because they are major culprits in this matter.
Congress for Civil Society equally called on the Executive Arm of Government to support the passage, assent and implementation of the bill as it will hasten the improvement of the public health and education sectors in the country.
“We call all progressive minded citizens and groups to support this revolutionary bill which is capable of bringing sanity to our public institutions” said the rights group.
They lamented that the problem with Nigerians is hypocrisy when it comes to issues that would fundamentally address the country ‘s malaise, saying that some members of the House of Representatives would be dragging their feet to back this bill to sail through in spite of its importance to strategically address the rot in health and educational sectors.
They said Ogah’s bill is one good way of using legislation to improve the society instead of playing to the gallery, collecting public money without doing anything to improve their lives.
The group pledged to continue to champion for the passage of the bill into law as the process last.