The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee initiated a comprehensive investigation on Monday into the alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 intervention funds by various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of the government.
The probe, spurred by a motion from House member Nyampa Zakari in October, targets MDAs accused of mishandling funds amounting to N183.9 billion allocated to address the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2023.
During the opening session, committee chairman Bamidele Salam cautioned the MDAs that the committee would not entertain requests for time extensions. He emphasized, “The committee is probing over 60 MDAs over several billions of naira intervention funds allocated to them during the COVID-19, and we have given them enough time to prepare for this exercise.”
Salam underscored the committee’s commitment to diligence in carrying out its assignment and clarified that its focus was on the funds’ proper utilization rather than targeting specific individuals or groups. He further urged the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to provide competent personnel to assist the committee in its investigation.
Several MDAs, including Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospitals Bauchi, Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, and Federal Road Maintenance Agency, appeared before the committee on the first day of the investigation.
The committee issued a directive for the Chief Medical Director of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Prof Yusuf Jubrin, to reappear on Thursday with relevant documents supporting the funds released to the institution for COVID-19 response.