FG Releases N22.163bn To Presidential Task Force On COVID-19

• Ask PTF to return N20.9bn unspent fund pending proper planning
• Probe controversy over N1bn donated by CBN, NNPC for feeding of evacuated Nigerians
• To probe $285m grant to Ministry of Health
• Write CBN Governor on COVID-19 statement of account
• Threaten to arrest Accountant General

The House of Representatives on Monday demanded for formal report on the total sum of N83 billion approved by the Presidency for the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 as disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Abdullahi at the flag-off of investigative hearing into the funds allocated so far for combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Wole Oke who issued the directive while addressing the PTF on C0VID-19 delegation led by its chairman, Mr Boss Mustpaha, also harped on the need to return the N20.9 billion unspent fund from the total sum of N21.163 billion released to the PTF account Treasury Single Account (TSA) domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In his remarks, Hon. Oke, who reiterated the resolve of the House to ensure effective accountability of all funds accrued into the COVID-19 account from various sources including Development Partners and private sector (COCAVID), also unveiled the Committee’s plans to investigate the utilization of the $125 million grant obtained by Federal Ministry of Health at a later date.

“We know we’ve written for that, we’ve written you to give us the breakdown on the utilization of the $125 million but that is on a different matter. We know for a fact that you are a new person in the ministry, maybe the PS you succeeded and the Minister for Health, Adewole to come and tell us.”

While giving update on the fund released so far, Mr Abdullahi explained that, “Prior to the set-up of PTF, Port Health Division an agency of the ministry received N71 million that screens passengers at the port entry. Then NCDC received two tranches, the first tranche is N315 million and another tranche of N620 million that was before the setting up of PTF. It was extra-budgetary, it was a special intervention.

“When the Taskforce was set up sometimes in March like the Perm Sec said it’s multi-sectoral, it coordinates about 9 ministries, NCDC and the DG SSS. The whole technical working groups were set up and each were asked to make a concept plan and budget was allocated.

“The PTF now made a presentation to the Presidency and a total budget of about N83 billion was approved to the Task Force. Out of that N83, the Ministry of Health and its Agencies got approval for N48 billion for the provision of infrastructure nationwide and additional N21 billion earmarked for health operations.”

According to him, the funds are to be sourced from three sources, namely 2020 line budget, CACOVID and special intervention fund to be released by the Minister of Finance.

Speaking earlier, the PTF Chairman/Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha who was represented by the Permanent Secretary (General Services), Mr Olusegun Adekunle explained that Nigeria has crossed 11,000 marks, adding that the shutdown of the airports was aimed at curtailing the high percentage of importation of COVID-19 into the country.

While giving update on the funds received by the PTF, Mustapha disclosed that, “Resources have been mobilized from donor partners but they are not donations that were handed over to the PTF. PTF did not receive and has not received any donation from any of the donor partners. These donor partners include the UN bodies that created the one basket fund and CACOVID which is mobilizing resources to deliver tangible projects all over the country.

“As for the PTF, the federal government as at date released N22,163,130,411 to the PTF operations account. Out of this what has been utilized, because we are bound by Procurement Act and we are bound to be transparent and accountable for it, the procurement process commenced then the funds belong to different agencies for utilisation for the PTF to ensure that there is value for money and there is delivery of service.

“The only sum that has been utilized out of that fund and released to the PTF is N164,929,475 and that has been utilized to cater for the management of the affairs of returnees, evacuees from different parts of the world, Nigerians that are stranded from major parts of the world, the rest is still intact it has not been utilized the planning process is still going on. All the activities you see were done through donor support. We also have agencies of government coming to our support,” the PTF chairman said.

Mr Abdullahi also informed the lawmakers of his resistance to yield to the request for release of N2.4 billion for COVID-19 from the 2020 appropriated fund, which he described as illegal virement requiring National Assembly’s approval.

Worried by the concerns raised on the N1 billion donated by the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) despite the circular issued by Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs that all returning Nigerians are to pay for their flight tickets and 14-day accommodation at the isolation centres.

While responding to the query, Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Mustapha Suleiman, explained that the Nigerians who were evacuated only paid for their tickets back to Nigeria and that the process was coordinated by the Nigeria Missions, adding that the N6 million paid to Air Peace as reflected in the document presented to the Committee, as “airlift of Nigerians from USA to Nigeria during COVID” was meant for local travel from Lagos to Abuja, adding that the rendition of the document did not emanate from the Foreign Affairs but from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

To this end, the Committee resolved to adjourn to 15th June, 2020 to continue the investigative hearing, just as it threatened to issue warrant of arrest against the Accountant General of the Federation if he fails to appear before it with relevant documents.

The Committee also directed the CBN Governor to provide relevant documents of all the funds accrued into the PTF COVID-19 accounts.