COVID-19 :Reps C’ttee holds Federal Medical Centres accountable
…uncovers several infractions
By Tom Okpe
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, (PAC) investigating alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 intervention funds from 2020 to 2022 has held Chief Medical Directors of the nation’s Federal Medical Centres and Federal Neuro- psychiatric Hospitals accountable over several billions of Naira allocated to the Institutions in the period.
This was made known on Friday at the National Assembly during the Committees meeting.
The Committee Chairman, Rep Bamidele Salam uncovered several infractions in the institution’s presentation saying, they must be sorted out, to justify the judicious utilization of the amounts allocated to them during the emergency period in the country.
He also revealed that the level of Infractions were so grievous that could see the accounting officers of the concerned Institutions into Correctional Centres or, being sacked from work.
The Chairman said the affected Federal Health Institutions are Federal Medical Centre Asaba, Delta State; N47.67bn, National Hospital Abuja N47.67bn, Federal Medical Centre Jalingo, Taraba State; N47.67bn, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Jigawa state with N47.67bn; Federal Medical Centre Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, N47 67bn and Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos State with the sum of N47.67bn.
Others which also took the same allocation of N47.67bn each are Federal Medical Centre Yola, Adamawa State, Federal Medical Centre Azare, Bauchi State, Federal Medical Centre, Kebbi State, National Orthopedic Hospital Dala, Kano State, National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu State, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Enugu State, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Kaduna State, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Cross River State and Federal Neuro-Psychiatric hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State.
The Committee however, discharged the CMDs with directives to go back, and appear before it with perfect submissions to be accompanied with valid and relevant documents.
Salam noted that the Committee would not entertain delay tactics from the MDAs, but, has a time frame within which to conclude its assignment.
Others that had earlier appeared before the Committee are Federal Medical Centre Lokoja, Kogi State; Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta State; the National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna and National Eye Centre, Kaduna State.
Though, the Committee didnt find any infraction against the National Eye Centre, Kaduna having proved that it judiciously used the money allocated to it as Covid-19 intervention.
The FMC Lokoja and Asaba were not lucky as presentation of conflicting figures and inability to explain certain violations of extant laws.
The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Dr Olatunde Oladeji Alabi was queried by the Chairman, Salam, noting that there were a lot of gaps in his presentations.
In his remarks, Salam said: “Apparently, there are lots of gaps in the Medical Directors presentations, some, you agreed.
“They are very fundamental because some of the things we want to achieve with this investigation; to ensure, we have value for money.
“If you look at it, the Medical Centres have the same practice they are executing, and it is the same standard cost. It is a standard practice in medical practice that allows this, but the medical centres are not of the same size and capacity.
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“So, we need to be sure that these items are procured using the best standard of pricing, and, contracts are executed to specification.
“So, I will be setting up a sub-committee to pay a visit to your institution.”
However, Dr Mustapha Abubakar, Medical Director of National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna and FMC Asaba, Dr Victor Azubuike, were referred to a sub-committee, to reconcile their figures as well as harmonize their presentations, having noticed that their oral presentations differs significantly, with the documented submissions they earlier made to the committee.
