The House of Representatives has disclosed plans to investigate how funds meant for COVID-19 aid were used by government ministries and agencies.
This followed a motion by Nyampa Zakari of the All Progressives Congress from Adamawa during a parliamentary session on Tuesday.
Zakari reminded the assembly that the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019 was a severe worldwide pandemic that had far-reaching effects on families, businesses, and economies everywhere.
He highlighted the loss of lives, jobs, and economic opportunities, not just in Nigeria but worldwide.
The legislator pointed out that the pandemic disrupted economic activities, leading to measures like lockdowns, travel restrictions, business closures, and government shutdowns across the globe.
To address these challenges, various programs, policies, and interventions were introduced to support families, small businesses, and public organizations.
Zakari noted, “The Federal Government of Nigeria took several measures, including budget allocations and funds from international donors, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. An amount of N83.9 billion was allocated in the 2020 Appropriation Act, along with over N100 billion as intervention funds from supplementary budgets and international donor agencies.”
However, he expressed concern about reports from the Auditor-General and other sources revealing that a significant portion of the funds allocated for COVID-19 relief and international donations had been diverted and not properly accounted for by government agencies.
He stressed that this lack of transparency could lead to negative economic consequences and missed opportunities for Nigeria.
During the discussion, Rep Ahmed Jaha of the APC from Borno expressed his frustration, saying that the funds allocated for COVID-19 interventions could have been used to establish proper hospitals in all 360 federal constituencies across the country.
He also alleged that some of the funds had been spent on constructing roads that were unrelated to safeguarding public health during the pandemic.
In response to these concerns, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, directed the Public Accounts Committee to launch an investigation into the utilization of these funds.
The PAC has been given four weeks to conduct the inquiry and provide a report, which will be used for further legislative action.
