The House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases has continued its investigative hearings into over $4.6 billion in grants received by Nigeria from international donors between 2021 and 2025 for the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The lawmakers are demanding greater transparency and accountability in the use of the funds.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Infectious Diseases, Amobi Godwin Ogah, who presided over the session in Abuja on Wednesday, said the probe was aimed at ensuring that donor funds are judiciously utilised and to restore confidence in international partners.
The over $1.8 billion grants from the Global Fund and $2.8 billion from USAID were meant for combating infectious diseases and strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
He said the probe will restore public confidence and ensure adherence to transparency and accountability in management of health funds, adding that “I must reiterate that this exercise is not to witch-hunt anybody, nor a vendetta, rather it is borne out of the desire to put Nigeria and Nigerians in the epicenter of all our policy thrust,
“Especially on issues of public health threats, such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to restore confidence in our international donor partners to our adherence to transparency and accountability,” he said
Ogah said to ensure judicious spending of grants received, leaders at both government and non-governmental levels must do the right thing.
He commended the Global Fund and all international partners for their support to Nigeria’s health systems on one hand and all key stakeholders and non-state actors for their immense contributions.
Ogah saluted all the donors for their collaborations in the response against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases.
He called for the submission of all implementation plans by principal recipients and implementing partners of Global Fund grants in Nigeria to the parliament for approval in the future.
Ogah said: “We also expect quarterly reports of the activities of all recipients and subrecipients, and key implementing partners of Global Fund grants from Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism Nigeria.”
The chairman expressed belief that the response against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases in our country would be successful by eliminating all public health threats by the year 2030.
He, therefore, called for continued collaboration among key stakeholders and the committee on infectious diseases to ensure removal of duplication of resources allocation.
Ogah reaffirmed the committee’s continued legislative support to relevant stakeholders to ensure full implementation of the response against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases in Nigeria.
