During the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee investigation into the alleged misappropriation of COVID-19 intervention funds by various health institutions across the country, several irregularities were uncovered in the presentations made by some hospitals.
Chaired by Bamidele Salam, the committee stated that some of the identified infractions could lead to the accounting officers being imprisoned or losing their jobs.
As a result of these findings, the committee rejected the institutions’ presentations, deeming them unreliable and directed them to provide relevant documents to support their claims.
Some of the health institutions under scrutiny include the Federal Medical Centre in Azare, Bauchi State, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Calabar, Cross River State, Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital in Yola (formerly known as Federal Medical Centre, Yola) in Adamawa State, and National Orthopedic Hospital in Dala-Kano, Kano State.
The committee’s investigation revealed that the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre in Azare, who received N949.23m, presented a report with a N27m shortfall, claiming that the amount was held in the Treasury Single Account.
Dismissing the submission, the committee urged the director to provide relevant documents or refund the N27m promptly.
Commenting on the matter, Bamidele stated that the Treasury Single Account houses all accounts, making it impossible to ascertain the specific one in which the funds were held.
The Medical Director also failed to clarify the contract timeline and other relevant details, including an order from the Bureau of Public Procurement to refund N8.6m to the Federal Government due to a market survey.
Additionally, a company, GMC International Limited, that failed to execute the contract at the medical facility, is required to appear before the committee, and the hospital management must furnish detailed information about the transaction.
Similarly, the Medical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dr. Bassey Edet, is to make a new presentation at a later date.
Likewise, the Medical Director of the National Orthopedic Hospital in Dala-Kano, Dr. Nurudeen Isah, was asked to provide all relevant documents regarding the hospital’s fund management after failing to convince the committee of his expenditure.
The same applies to the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital in Yola.
Addressing the committee members, Bamidele cautioned against employing delay tactics in their presentations as directed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas, affirming that the investigation would proceed uninterrupted.