Reps Issues Ultimatum To Minister Over Alleged $300m Misuse

Reps demands Health Ministry officials’ appearance in 72 hours over $300m malaria fund misuse.
Threatens arrest for Permanent Secretary’s absence; accuses of excluding local manufacturers in contracts.
Committee vows to defend against malaria epidemic, ready to compel attendance if needed.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, on Tuesday, gave the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammed Pate, and the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, a 72-hour ultimatum to appear before it over allegations of the misuse of $300m meant to tackle malaria since 2021.

This committee threatened to arrest the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Kachallom Daju, if she failed to honour the summons, having failed to appear before it after three invitations.

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The minister and the permanent secretary are also expected to answer questions on allegations of denying indigenous manufacturers of insecticidal nets from participating in the contract for the procurement of the items and other related products.

The Chairman of the committee and lawmaker representing Isuikwato/Umuneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State, Amobi Ogah, who read the resolutions of the committee on Tuesday at the National Assembly, Abuja, expressed the displeasure of his members about the absence of the Permanent Secretary.

He said, “Nigeria borrowed $100m from the Islamic Bank which was approved by National Assembly in 2021.

“Out of the $100m, $10m was a grant and another $200m borrowed from World Bank in the same year for Impact Project (Malaria Financing Agreement), making it a total of $300m.

“The resolution by National Assembly is that local content must be prioritised to enable local manufacturers, but the ministry went ahead to contract the United Nations Office for Project Services to do the procurement process at a cost of over $3m for the purchase of anti-malaria commodities.”

Describing malaria as an epidemic in Nigeria, Ogah said the government had always wanted to help the people, but “most times, the civil servants are our problem.”

“This money has been made available since 2021. We have been inviting the Permanent Secretary. This is the third time we are inviting her to come and explain to us what has happened.

“Have they used the money? If they have not used the money, where is the money? It is a matter of simple explanation. But they have been running away, calling all manner of people to talk to us. But we are here to defend Nigerians.

We were elected to represent our people. Nigerians cannot continue to die of malaria, even when the government has made every necessary effort to see that eradication is being achieved by 2030.

“The National Assembly will no longer tolerate the attitude of civil servants taking the parliament for a ride. Enough is enough. We are elected by our people to represent them. We are elected to talk for them and defend them. And we are talking about a disease that has turned into an epidemic. We will not hesitate to invoke our constitutional right to compel the Permanent Secretary to be arrested if she fails to honour the summons,” he said.