Reps threaten arrest, ask other officials to explain $300m unaccounted for since 2021
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Health Minister Mohammed Pate and Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Daju Kachollom have been asked to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis to explain alleged misappropriation of $300 million ring-fenced since 2021 to tackle malaria.
The committee resolved Kachollom will be arrested if she again fails to honour the summons, having previously declined appearance after two invitations.
Pate and Kachollom are also to answer questions on allegations of preventing indigenous manufacturers of insecticidal nets from participating in the contract for the procurement of the product and other related products.
Committee Chairman Godwin Ogah, who read out the resolutions at plenary, expressed the displeasure of his members about the failure of Kachollom to appear before the committee, even when it has been discovered the cost of the procurement of antimalarial commodities by the ministry was more than $3 million.
Ogah reiterated “Malaria is now an epidemic in Nigeria. The government has 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 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 were elected by our people to represent them. We were elected to talk for them and defend them.
“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 be arrested, if she fails to honour the summons.”
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Petition threatening lawsuit
Ogah disclosed the committee a few weeks ago received a petition from Seasons Law Firm on behalf of Rosies Textile Mills Limited.
He said the petitioners accused the Ministry of Health and Kachollom of preventing indigenous manufacturers of insecticidal nets from participating in the contract for the procurement of insecticidal nets and other related products.
“Nigeria borrowed $100 million from Islamic Bank, which was approved by the National Assembly in 2021. Out of the $100 million, $10 million was the grant; and another $200 million was borrowed from World Bank in the same year for Impact Project (Malaria Financing Agreement), making it a total of $300 million,” Ogah recounted.
“The resolution by the 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 (UNOPS) to do the procurement process at the cost of over $3 million for the purchase of anti-malaria commodities.
“It is clear that the National Assembly has to intervene on this issue. Therefore, [we have] to forestall this matter ending in litigation, to mediate and bring the parties involved to a roundtable with a view to resolving the matter amicably.”
