N400bn National Primary Health Project, Senate Calls For Investigation

BY: AFNEWS Abuja Correspondent- Nancy Okafor

Sen. Oloriegbe , Yahaya Ibrahim (Kwara Central) in a motion co-sponsored by Sen. Umar Sadiq Suleiman (Kwara North) on Wednesday 16th February has brought to the notice of the Senate, the need to investigate the abandoned Four hundred billion Naira , National Primary Health Center Project of 2006.

Sen. Yahaya representing Kwara Central has moved the motion for the need to investigate a Four hundred billion Naira, National Primary Health Center Project which was initiated by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2006.

The project was to build in each of the seven hundred and seventy four (774) Local Government Areas in Nigeria, a sixty (60) bed Primary Health Centers which was to be complemented with a three bedroom flat, doctors quarters, an ambulance, all basic hospital equipment and drugs.

Yahaya, noted that in order to achieve the lofty project, the federal government had deducted monies from the excess crude account of all the 774 Local Government Areas on a monthly basis, warehouse the same with the then Platinum Habib Bank (now Keystone Bank) until the funds required for the actualization of the project was realized.

He pointed out that the bill of quantities was prepared by the then federal ministry of works and housing and approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement. The contract was awarded to Messrs Mattan Nig. Ltd.

The Senator in his investigations found out that Messrs Mattan Nig. Ltd. proceeded and sub-contracted out the jobs to consultant and sub-contractors without any verification of capacity and capabilities to properly execute the jobs and without the consent of the government or it's agencies involved then.

Yahaya also observed that various sums of money were released to these sub-contractors through the accounts of Messrs Mattan Nig. Ltd. domiciled with the Plantinum Habib Bank (now Keystone Bank) to carry out the projects at the selected locations across the country.

He pointed that it is disturbing that some of these projects were commenced and abandoned at various stages while majority of them were never started despite huge sum of money released.

Accordingly, he advises that the Senate should mandate it's committees on Health and Primary Health Care and Communicable Disease to undertake an investigation in order to;

Determine the status of the 100% project funds warehouse with Keystone Bank.
Determine the level of progress in the 774 LGA.
Carry out evaluation of the consultant, contractors and sub-contractors that participated in the project.
Carry out a schedule of dilapidation on the project; and
Recommend ways of completing the projects nationwide.

In view of this, the Senate, unanimously adopted the motion and gave it's committee on Health and Primary Health Care and Communicable Disease, six weeks to look into the matter.