How FG Mistakenly Paid Millions Of Naira Into Account Of 588 Doctors
Thompson Nsisongabasi
Sep 06, 2021
No fewer than 588 medical doctors across Nigeria have reportedly benefited from a fund mistakenly paid into their account by the Federal Government.
READ ALSO: Sowore's Miscalculation and the Need to beat a Wise Retreat
Mr Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, disclosed in Abuja while responding to questions from State House correspondents, All Facts News reports.
READ ALSO: Why El-Rufai Was Returned To ICPC Custody?
According to the minister, names of beneficiaries of the wrongly paid fund were uncovered after a thorough "scrutinisation of the 8000 names submitted by Chief Medical Directors of Federal Government health institutions for the training programmeÔÇØ.
READ ALSO: WATCH VIDEO: Gov. Alex Otti Speaks About Conducting Abia LGA Election
Ngige lamented that while some doctors have willingly refunded the Medical Residency Training Fund meant for a particular category of doctors, others are still being pressured to follow suit.
He noted that the inability of the affected doctors to refund the money is why the government has held back the Residency Fund payment meant to be released to medical personnel.
READ ALSO: Abia Govt Gives EFCC 7 Days To Remove Offensive Notices
Ngige said: ÔÇØMinistry of Health has gotten the list of doctors who supposedly are to benefit from the Medical Residency Training Fund.
ÔÇØTotal submission of about 8000 names were gotten and the Ministry of Health is scrutinising them.
ÔÇØWe have done the first round of scrutinization and they will now compare what they have with the Post-Graduate Medical College and the Chief Medical Directors who submitted the names.
READ ALSO: Why My Successor Will Find Things Easy - Buhari
"The Association of Resident Doctors, in each of the tertiary centres, worked with the CMDs to produce those names, but now the names are being verified.
ÔÇØWe discovered that about 2000 names shouldn't be there because they don't have what is called Postgraduate Reference Numbers of National Postgraduate Medical College and (or) that of the West African Postgraduate Medical College.
READ ALSO: I Will Not Allow Criminality As President, Peter Obi Declares
"So, this is it and that is the only thing holding back the Residency Fund payment because it is there already for... incurred expenditure has been done by the Finance Minister and an it's in the Accountant-General's office.,ÔÇØ he said.
READ ALSO: Tambuwal Debunks Resigning As PDP Govs' Forum Chair
ÔÇØSo, we once verify the authenticity of those they are submitting, the Accountant-General will pay,ÔÇØ he added.
Ngige stressed further that the government is conducting a verification because 'we do not want what happened last time in 2020 to reoccur.'
READ ALSO: Sowore's Miscalculation and the Need to beat a Wise Retreat
ÔÇØIn 2020, the submitted names didn't come through the appropriate source, which is the Postgraduate Medical College and payment was affected and it was discovered that about 588 persons, who were not resident doctors benefited from such money.
READ ALSO: Why El-Rufai Was Returned To ICPC Custody?
ÔÇØThey are now finding it difficult to make the full refund. But they have to refund that money. Some are refunding, but there is no full consideration of the account.
READ ALSO: WATCH VIDEO: Gov. Alex Otti Speaks About Conducting Abia LGA Election
ÔÇØThat account has to be reconciled to enable the accountants pay the next round of funding for 2021,ÔÇØ he said.
Related Stories
REVEALED: How All Progressives Congress (APC) Played Into The Opposition Hands Ahead Of 2027 - Sumner Sambo Warns
I Will Not Allow Criminality As President, Peter Obi Declares
Why El-Rufai Was Returned To ICPC Custody?
Sowore's Miscalculation and the Need to beat a Wise Retreat
Tinubu Breaks Silence on Hardship, Inflation, Power Crisis - Vows Nigeria Will Overcome Economic Storm
"Terrorists Have Outgunned Our TroopsÔÇØ - Ndume Raises Alarm Over Boko Haram War, Sends Urgent Message To Tinubu
""
— Thompson Nsisongabasi