The Senate has uncovered how some officials of the Ministry of Health mismanaged over N5.7 billion donor funds from an international agency to Nigeria.<\/p>\n
The alleged mismanagement of funds forced some of the donors to suspend the assistance due to unsatisfactory reports emanating from the Ministry Health agencies.<\/p>\n
The mismanagement of donor agencies\u2019 funds was uncovered by the chairman, senate public account committee, Senator Matthew Urhogbide who expressed dissatisfaction with failure of permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and officials to account for the fund.<\/p>\n
It was learnt that four invitations have been sent to the ministry but were not honored. The first letter dated February 1 and the meeting was scheduled for February 8, 222 and another meeting was scheduled for March 16, 2022 and this month.<\/p>\n
One of the donor agencies is Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), an international NGO specialising in bringing together public and private sectors with the objective of creating equal access to new and under-used vaccines for children living in the world\u2019s poorest countries.<\/p>\n
It was learnt that four invitations have been sent to the ministry but were not honored. The first letter dated February 1 and the meeting was scheduled for February 8, 222 and another meeting was scheduled for March 16, 2022 and this month.<\/p>\n
The revelation was as a result of the 2016 Auditor-general\u2019s report which is under consideration.<\/p>\n
The chairman, while reacting to the failure of the ministry to give account of the money spent said that the committee is left with no other option than to issue a warrant of arrest on the ministry officials to come and give explanation.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cThe Ministry of Health has consistently refused to come and give an account before this Committee. We have sent invitations to them to appear with no response from the Ministry. This is very unfortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The query reads, \u201cFirst in 2015, by a\u00a0 donor named Global\u00a0 Alliance\u00a0 for\u00a0 Vaccines\u00a0 and\u00a0 Immunisation (GAVI),\u00a0 an\u00a0 international\u00a0 NGO\u00a0 specialising\u00a0 in\u00a0 bringing\u00a0 together\u00a0 public\u00a0 and\u00a0 private\u00a0 sectors with\u00a0 the\u00a0 objective\u00a0 of\u00a0 creating\u00a0 equal\u00a0 access\u00a0 to\u00a0 new\u00a0 and\u00a0 under-used\u00a0 vaccine\u00a0 for\u00a0 children living\u00a0 in\u00a0 the\u00a0 world\u2019s\u00a0 poorest\u00a0 countries.<\/p>\n
The NGO, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, accused NPHCDA of mismanagement of funds released by the organisation and invited my office to\u00a0 observe the appointment of an audit\u00a0 firm\u00a0 to\u00a0 carry out an extended cash\u00a0 programme audit of GAVI funds\u00a0 released\u00a0 to\u00a0 NPHCDA\u00a0 from\u00a0 2010\u00a0 to 2015.<\/p>\n
Non-adherence to laid down procedures stipulated in public procurement Act, 2007, in the procurement of goods, services and works valued at\u00a0\u00a0 N4,987,958,621.00.<\/p>\n
” Expenditures made\u00a0 by\u00a0 the\u00a0 NPHCDA\u00a0 between\u00a0 1st\u00a0 January,\u00a0 2010\u00a0 and\u00a0 31st\u00a0 March, 2015\u00a0 amounted\u00a0 to\u00a0 N8,599,291,949.00\u00a0 (Eight\u00a0 billion,\u00a0 five\u00a0 hundred\u00a0 and\u00a0 ninety-nine million,\u00a0 two\u00a0 hundred\u00a0 and\u00a0 ninety-one\u00a0 thousand,\u00a0 nine\u00a0 hundred\u00a0 and\u00a0 forty-nine naira),\u00a0 out\u00a0 of\u00a0 which\u00a0 N187,725,160.00\u00a0 was\u00a0 not supported\u00a0 with\u00a0 relevant\u00a0 statutory\u00a0 and\u00a0 third\u00a0 party\u00a0 documents,\u00a0 such\u00a0 as\u00a0 payment vouchers,\u00a0 receipts,\u00a0 invoices,\u00a0 delivery\u00a0 notes,\u00a0 store\u00a0 receipt\u00a0 vouchers,\u00a0 contract completion\u00a0 certificates,\u00a0 etc.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sum\u00a0 of\u00a0 N18,804,865.00\u00a0 was\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 also reported\u00a0 to\u00a0 be\u00a0 ineligible\u00a0 expenditures\u00a0 as\u00a0 it\u00a0 comprised\u00a0 payments\u00a0 to\u00a0 suppliers\u00a0 who did\u00a0 not\u00a0 deliver\u00a0 the procured goods\u00a0 or services as\u00a0 per contract.<\/p>\n
\u201cInadequately supported expenditure amounted to N619,999,383.00. This was mostly attributed to photocopied documents, inconsistencies in supporting documents, lack of contracts with suppliers and lack of evidence of delivery for procured goods.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Senate has uncovered how some officials of the Ministry of Health mismanaged over N5.7 billion donor funds from an international agency to Nigeria. The alleged mismanagement of funds forced…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":96266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n