Reps Urge Health Ministry To Refund Unspent N10bn Allocated For COVID-19 Funds

By Abimbola Kintum

The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee instructed the Ministry of Health to refund the unused N10 billion allocated for COVID-19 vaccine production to the Federal Government.

This occurred following a proposal by Bassey Akiba (LP, Cross Rivers) due to the absence of ministry officials during yesterday’s investigative hearing.  Akiba initiated the motion to enforce the ministry’s reimbursement of funds allocated for the COVID-19 intervention in the country.

The committee adopted the motion after it was seconded and directed that the ministry refunded the said funds to the federal government.

Earlier, chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun) noted that despite series of invitation to the ministry, its officials have failed to respond or appeared before the committee.

The directive followed the appearance and submission by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachallom, who informed the committee that the funds were domiciled in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.