Fraud: Buhari orders EFCC to probe Global Fund grants

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to commence “full investigation” into the alleged misappropriation of Global Fund Grants which Nigeria received between 2010 and 2014.

The President also directed the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Babachir David Lawal, “to review earlier audit reports from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, according to a statement by the Director (Media and Public Relations) in the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Boade Akinola, said the President gave the directive as part of government’s effort and commitment to its fight against corruption in the country.

Consequently, the SGF has set up two high-powered investigative panels, which were expected to submit their reports within four weeks.

Their terms of reference include looking into the affected programmes and the financial transactions.

The first panel headed by Adewole, “will conduct an in-depth review of all programmes while the second panel chaired by the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, will review all financial transactions during the period.”

Adewole said, “Mr. President assured members of the international community that all funds received by Nigeria would be well utilised and accounted for under his watch to avoid national embarrassment. The President further said that all indicted officials would be given a fair hearing and those found guilty would be sanctioned to serve as deterrent to others.”

The statement recalled that the recent OIG report by Global Fund indicted three agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for misappropriation of specific intervention grants.

It was reported that Global Fund, the biggest contributor to the country’s HIV/AIDS intervention, had suspended the malaria and HIV/AIDS grants over ‘‘challenges of grants not achieving impact targets, poor quality of health services, treatment disruptions and fraud, corruption and misuse of funds.”

But the Director-General, NACA, Prof. John Idoko, had denied that there was suspension of grants.