Audit Query: Senate Asks Health Ministry to Explain Alleged N5.7bn Donor Funds Mismanagement

Sunday Aborisade

The Senate Public Account Committee has summoned senior management staff of the Ministry of Health to appear before it in order to explain how they managed the N5.7 billion grant from an international donor agency.

THISDAY learnt yesterday that the alleged mismanagement of the fund had forced the agency to suspend further assistance based on unsatisfactory reports emanating from some agencies being supervised by the Ministry.

The alleged poor handling of the fund was detailed in the 2016 report of the Auditor General for the Federation, currently being scrutinised by the Senator Matthew Urhoghide-led SPAC.

Urhoghide at the last sitting of the panel expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health and the senior officials to appear and give account of the fund.

The Senator lamented that four invitations had been sent to the Ministry but were ignored.

The first letter, according to him, was dated February 1, 2022, and the meeting was scheduled for February 8 and another was scheduled for March 16.

The donor agency was Global Alliance for Vaccines  and  Immunisation (GAVI),  an  international  NGO  which specilaises  in  bringing  together  public  and  private sectors with  the  objective  of  creating  equal  access  to  new  and  under-used  vaccine  for  children living  in  the  World’s  poorest  countries.

The SPAC Chairman said the Committee would be left with no other option than to demand an Arrest Warrant against the Ministry officials so that they would give explanation.

He said, “The Ministry of Health has consistently refused to come and give account before this Committee. We have sent invitations to them to appear with no response from the Ministry, this is very unfortunate.”

The query read: “First in 2015, a donor named GAVI, an international NGO which specialises in bringing  together  public  and  private  sectors with  the  objective  of  creating  equal  access  to  new  and  under-used  vaccine  for  children living  in  the  world’s  poorest  countries, assisted the country.

“The NGO,  with  headquarters  in  Geneva, Switzerland,  accused the National Primary Health Care Development Agency  of  mis-management  of  funds  released  by  the organisation.

“GAVI then  invited  my  Office (AuGF) to  observe  the  appointment  of  an  audit  firm  to  carry out  extended  cash  programme  audit  of  GAVI  funds  released  to  NPHCDA  from  2010  to 2015.

“There was non-adherence  to  laid  down  procedures  stipulated  in  Public  Procurement  Act, 2007,  in  the  procurement  of  Goods,  Services  and  works  valued  at   N4,987,958,621.00  (Four  billion,  nine  hundred  and  eighty-seven  million,  nine hundred and fifty-eight  thousands)

” Expenditures made by the  NPHCDA  between  1st  January,  2010  and  31st  March, 2015,  amounted  to  N8,599,291,949.

“Out of  the amount, the sum of  N187,725,160.00  was  not supported  with  relevant  statutory  and  third  party  documents,  such  as  payment vouchers,  receipts,  invoices,  delivery  notes,  store  receipt  vouchers,  contract completion  certificates, among others.

” The sum of N18,804,865.00 was    also reported to be ineligible expenditures as it comprised payments  to  suppliers  who did  not  deliver  the procured goods  or services as  per contract.

“Inadequately supported expenditure amounted to  N619,999,383.00 was also discovered. 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.”