The House of Representatives has resolved to launch an investigation into the disbursement of funds to government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) designated for COVID-19 interventions.
This decision was reached following the adoption of a motion presented by Rep. Nyampa Zakari (APC-Adamawa) during the plenary session on Tuesday.
Zakari outlined the significant global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected families, businesses, and economies in 2019. He noted that the pandemic led to the loss of lives, jobs, and economic opportunities for millions of households, including those in Nigeria.
The legislator further highlighted that the pandemic resulted in disruptions to economic activities, necessitating the implementation of various programs, policies, and interventions to support families, small businesses, and public institutions. The Federal Government of Nigeria, in response, initiated multiple measures, including budgetary allocations and funding from international donor agencies, to combat the effects of the pandemic.
Zakari pointed out that substantial funds, such as N83.9 billion from the 2020 Appropriation Act and over N100 billion in intervention funds, were allocated to tackle the pandemic, both from supplementary budgets and international donors.
However, reports from the Auditor-General and other sources indicated that these funds, intended for COVID-19 relief and international donations, had been misappropriated and remained unaccounted for by various government agencies.
The lack of transparent financial accountability for the funds allocated for COVID-19 intervention by both the Federal Government and global donor agencies raised concerns about potential negative economic consequences and missed opportunities for Nigeria.
Rep. Ahmed Jaha (APC-Borno) emphasized the substantial amount of resources allocated for COVID-19 interventions, suggesting that the funds could have been used to establish standard hospitals in all 360 federal constituencies. He also raised questions about the diversion of funds to construct infrastructure unrelated to public health.
Consequently, the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, instructed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to conduct an investigation into the expenditure and provide a report within four weeks for further legislative action.
