House Queries Minister Of Health Over PPPs

By Gloria Essien, Abuja

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The House of Representatives has queried the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, over the Ministry’s Public Private Partnership programmes and concession agreement aimed at improving healthcare in the country.

 

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The query was given by Committee on Public Assets and Special Duties in Abuja.

The Committee also probed the BioVaccines Nigeria Limited, which is a joint venture between the federal government and May and Baker in 2007 and other partnerships by the Ministry.

The Committee Chairman, Mr. Ademorin Kuye urged the Minister to provide the documents supporting the Ministry’s ten billion naira equity contribution for the BioVaccines.

He also directed the minister to provide relevant documents over the lease of land to May and Baker in Lagos.

And that he should also tender a document of transfer of shares to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).

“I also want to bring to your notice that in the document, part of the document submitted, the equity contribution of the federal government. One is 10 billion Naira.

“We take it as part of the information and documents that will be submitted alongside the pending documents. We want to know where that money is, the utilization of the funds, when the money is being released, where the money has been domiciled.

“Also part of the agreement, the Government gave out a landed property in Lagos. We want to have comprehensive documents
of the agreement and document of the property, the landed property, to be submitted to this Honourable Committee as well.

“Finally, we want you to clarify to us in your next appearance the share capital of the federal government and that of the partners, we want documents showing in detail how the shares have been domiciled, what is for the federal government and what is for the percentage that belongs to the federal government and that of the partners.” Mr. Kuye said.

The Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Hom Dabo Haruna also directed that the Minister must submit relevant documents including evidence of advertisement of this PPPs/concession/lease, expression of interest on these leases as well as specific achievements recorded by the Ministry in the period under reference.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, pleaded to be given till the next sitting of the committee to provide the relevant documents.

“The ministry has taken due steps to try to collect the documents that are available, but there are still, I believe, important gaps.

“I would like to plead with the committee in order to be very thorough in terms of completeness of what you have requested that we be given more time to be able to come back to the committee with a fuller response that is vetted.

“I would like to personally vet all the documents before they are submitted to you and where they are not in existence to be able to come back to you. As you can understand, many of these were entered into years before we came into office and we’re dealing with the residue of some of those agreements which I believe have been shared with you but admittedly the information is incomplete.

“So Mr Chairman, I will not want to share information with you that is incomplete. And we are working very hard to ensure that we collect all the information that is required and come back to you with indication oof what we have and the gaps that exist in what we have inherited.

“I know that you’ve been patient with us but it’s quite challenging to gather all the documents that go years in the making and we were not here but we are responsible for ensuring that you get all the information that you need to conduct your due diligence”. Dr. Pate said.

He said that in the context of the process, he pleaded with the committee to give the ministry a bit more time as he will personally ensure that the documents are compiled and with a tabulation of when the agreements were made and submit to the committee.

 

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