The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has been called before the House of Representatives Committee on Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis due to an alleged embezzlement of $300 million in antimalarial monies.
The committee’s chairman, Representative Amobi Ogah, read the resolutions in Abuja on Tuesday. Ogah voiced his anger over the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary’s absence during the committee’s Tuesday session.
The Permanent Secretary shall be placed under arrest if she disregards the summons, as the Committee has decided, after she has missed three appearances. Nigeria currently has a malaria crisis. Although the government has always sought to assist the populace, public officials are typically the source of our issues.
“This money has been made available since 2021. We have been inviting the Permanent Secretary. This is the third time we are inviting her to come and explain to us what has happened.
“Have they used the money? If they have not used the money, where is the money? It is a matter of simple explanation. But they have been running away, calling all manner of people to talk to us,” he said.
