The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Daju Kachollom, have been given 72 hours to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Anti-Malaria.
They are required to explain the reported theft of $300 million intended to fund malaria research since 2021.
The committee decided that the permanent secretary be arrested if she failed to honor their summons again since she had failed to appear before the committee after three invitations.
As he read the resolutions, Committee Chairman Amobi Godwin Ogah expressed dissatisfaction with his colleagues on the permanent secretary’s nonattendance at the committee meeting.
The chairman voiced his dismay at the ministry spending more than $3 million to purchase antimalarial supplies.
He said: “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 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 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 to 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.”
Ogah said the committee received a petition, few weeks ago, from Seasons Law Firm on behalf of Rosies Textile Mills Limited.
The committee chairman said the petitioners accused the Ministry of Health and the permanent secretary of excluding local producers of insecticidal nets from the contract for the purchase of the product and other associated goods.
In addition, the minister and the permanent secretary are expected to respond to allegations regarding these claims.
He said: “Nigeria borrowed $100 million from Islamic Bank, which was approved by 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.
“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.
“Honourable members, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, 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.”
