Senate probes abandoned N400bn health center project

The Senate has mandated the Committees on Health, Primary Health Care and Communicable Disease, Works, and Housing to investigate the abandoned N400 billion naira National Primary Health Center Project initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo across the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.

The resolution was reached on Wednesday during plenary by the chamber after it considered a motion to that effect.

The motion, “Need to investigate the abandoned Four Hundred Billion Naira National Primary Health Center Project”, was sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC Kwara Central).

Oloriegbe, in his presentation, noted that the National Primary Health Center project was initiated by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006.

According to the lawmaker, the project was to build in each of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, a sixty (60) bed Primary Health Center to be complimented with a three bedroom flat, doctors quarters, an ambulance, all basic hospital equipment and drugs.

He explained that, “in order to achieve this lofty project, the Federal Government deducted monies from the excess crude account of all the 774 Local Government Areas on a monthly basis, warehouse the same with the then Platinum Habib Bank (now Keystone Bank) until the funds required for the actualization of the project was realized.

Contributing, Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar (APC Kwara North), said the delivery of good health care to Nigerians is an aspect that can ensure the development of the country.

He observed that the recorded successes in health care delivery in developed climes are directly tied to the quality of primary health services.

“The key policy for primary health care in Nigeria is that every ward across the country must have a functional primary health care center where people can access health care delivery to be able to take care of maternal mortality rates that we are concerned about and other related health issues”, Umar said.

On his part, Senator Matthew Urhogide (PDP Edo South), said the merit of the National Primary Health Center project cannot be downplayed in view of its importance to health care delivery in Nigeria.

He added that the project was supposed to be the basis for the establishment of primary health centers in the 774 local government areas.

He disclosed that recently, some of the representatives of companies who were awarded the contracts appeared before some of the Senate Committees to claim that they haven not been paid for the execution of the projects.

He added further that there are several committees of the Ninth Senate that have been inundated with several complaints about the projects.

Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South), said the abandoned project was a “commitment to primary health gone wrong”.

Accordingly, the chamber mandated the Committees on Health, Primary Health Care and Communicable Disease, Works, and Housing to investigate the abandoned N400 billion naira National Primary Health Centre Project initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo across the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.

It resolved that the investigation must determine the status of the 100 percent project funds warehoused with the then Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank); determine the level of progress and status of the projects in each of the 774 Local Government; carry-out evaluation of the consultant, contractor and sub-contractors that participated in the project; carry-out a schedule of dilapidation on the projects; and recommend ways of completing the projects nationwide.

The Joint Committee was given six weeks to complete the investigation and report back to the chamber in plenary.

https://www.blueprint.ng/senate-probes-abandoned-n400bn-health-center-project/