The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has identified a few government ministries, departments, and agencies for inquiry (ICPC).
Due to violations in the utilization of the COVID-19 intervention money, the MDAs were identified.
This information was provided by Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the Chairman of the ICPC, during the 2022 African Union Anti-Corruption Day, which was opened on Thursday in Abuja by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Strategies and Mechanisms for the Transparent Management of COVID-19 Funds” was the event’s tagline.
In a speech, the ICPC chairman claimed that “several accused MDAs refused the monitoring team access to their data, hampering the successful investigation into their operations. These MDAs have been highlighted, and any violations of the law, the COVID-19 intervention funds’ criteria, or any improper procurement practices will be looked at.
“Hoarding and diversion of materials were also common, warranting the raids by people in some situations, facilities or locations warehousing palliatives. Some of such also created widespread violence.
“The Commission has observed discrepancies and infractions in the procurement and payments made by some ministries and agencies after the released and appropriate disbursement of COVID-19 funds.”
He claimed that the Commission had also noted that the provision of aid or palliatives was disorganized, chaotic, and uncoordinated.
The ICPC Chairman stated that reports also demonstrated biased decisions, favoritism, nepotism, and other biases in the distribution and allocation of aid supplies, as well as the appropriation of palliatives by political players, their proxies, cronies, and associates.
Prof. Owasanoye stated that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the ICPC worked together to promote honesty, openness, and accountability in the country’s COVID-19 vaccination delivery.
“It was also to ensure that accountability is established and sustained throughout the four phases of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign focus: theft and embezzlement; service provision; vaccine availability; and advisory.
“The essence of this collaboration was to guarantee the integrity of the programme as any form of corruption or deviance however marginal in the COVID-19 vaccination exercise will undermine the huge efforts of government against the pandemic, deny and deprive willing Nigerians of the right to be vaccinated and may escalate and blow up the number of the infected, thereby worsening the health crisis,” he noted.
