By: Felix Ikpotor
Following the threat by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba to probe the utilisation of the N950 million Coronavirus (COVID-19) Intervention Fund by the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that it has commenced an investigation into the matter.
PHSpectator reports that Mr Agba who paid an unscheduled visit to the hospital last weekend the weekend expressed disappointment over the state of its isolation centre.
Mrs Azuka Ogugua, spokesperson of ICPC, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, said that all other health institutions that benefited from the COVID-19 Intervention Fund of the Federal Government were also being investigated.
This, according to her, follows an alleged violation of the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 by beneficiaries of the fund.
“An immediate investigation by the commission into the utilisation of the N950 million intervention fund by the teaching hospital in Port Harcourt has therefore been initiated.
“The commission has obtained documents from the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
“The documents will assist in our investigation of the utilisation of the COVID-19 Intervention Fund by the health institutions, ” she said.
Ogugua further explained that the Federal Government had approved and released the sum of N950 million each to of the 52 federal teaching hospitals and medical centres under its Economic Sustainability Plan.
She added that the fund was for the building and furnishing of molecular laboratories, isolation centres, 10 bedded Intensive Care Units (ICU) and procurement of Personnel Protective Equipment.
Responding to the allegation of misappropriation on a radio station in Port Harcourt, the Chief Medical Director of UPTH, Prof Henry Ugboma said he spent the money on purchase of equipments, adding that they were packed out to decontaminate the place in preparation for the Omicron variant of the virus when the minister visited.
