124
By Tracy Moses
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has entered into a long-term partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to strengthen transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s health sector.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development on Sunday in a post on X.
The move comes amid years of public concern over mismanaged contracts, inflated project costs, and weak oversight in primary healthcare delivery. Multiple audits and civil society reports have revealed systemic lapses, leaving many primary healthcare centres (PHCs) abandoned, poorly equipped, or non-functional despite substantial government investment.
In 2023, the Federal Government launched a major reform initiative aimed at rebuilding the primary healthcare system, the first point of medical contact for most Nigerians. A key component of the reform is the plan to restore at least one functional PHC in every local government area, supported by stronger financing, monitoring, and service delivery systems.
The partnership focuses specifically on improving transparency in project execution, financial management, and oversight by allowing the ICPC to monitor each stage of PHC revitalisation and audit all associated expenditures.
Pate said the partnership with the ICPC is intended to enhance monitoring, tracking, and auditing of all expenditures related to the ongoing nationwide upgrade of health facilities.
He noted that the Federal Government is implementing a comprehensive programme to rehabilitate and strengthen PHCs across the country as part of broader efforts to improve service delivery, boost health outcomes, and ensure efficient use of public resources.
Under the agreement, ICPC officials will provide real-time, stage-by-stage monitoring of revitalisation projects overseen by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA). Their reports will guide the certification and approval of completed projects.
“I am delighted to inform Nigerians that our ministry and its agencies have entered into a multi-year framework with the ICPC to monitor, track, and audit expenditures associated with the nationwide upgrade of health infrastructure,” Pate said.
He added that the ICPC has been mandated to verify the status of projects identified by the NPHCDA and confirm that each stage of work meets required standards before certification.
To further strengthen accountability, Pate explained that the ministry has deployed hundreds of Performance and Financial Management Officers (PFMOs) across the country to continuously assess the rehabilitation and performance of PHCs.
“This informed our recruitment and deployment of hundreds of PFMOs in every local government area to consistently review the progress of ongoing primary health centre renovations,” he said.
The minister added that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s introduction of the National Health Fellows, 774 young professionals selected from every local government area and trained to uphold new anti-corruption and administrative standards in the health sector.
“This is our moment to rebuild the nation we cherish, confront the challenges that have slowed our progress, and embrace a renewed social contract anchored on integrity, trust, and hope,” he said.