Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, condemned a motion by the Federal Ministry of Health to borrow $200 million under the Malaria Programme to buy mosquito nets in the 2022 budget.
The Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans condemned the Ministry’s submission with intents to borrow that amount to purchase mosquito nets for 13 vulnerable states.
The Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Mahmuda Mamman, in his submission had justified the proposal before the panel.
According to him, “The loan, if approved by the National Assembly and accessed, will be used to medically fight malaria in the 13 orphan states which cover 208 local government Councils and 3,536 primary health care centres.”
In opposition to Mamman’s submission, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Gershom Bassey, said that the proposal was outrageous considering the amount involved.
Also, in response to the submission, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe wondered why N450m was added to the budget for Malaria treatment in the proposed 2022 budget yet, plans are being made to borrow $200m for the same purpose.
“This is unacceptable. We should be able to put our feet down when dealing with these donor agencies or creditors as regards loans to be taken and what it should be expended on.”
“Don’t we have local manufacturers of mosquitoes nets and malaria drugs in Nigeria to patronise with the loan even if approved?
“This is a clear case of money and jobs for the boys by creditors luring you for loans and railroading you on what it should be spent on.
“Washington or whatever creditor offering the loan should stop giving us money with one hand and taking it back with another hand through railroaded spending,” Oloriegbe said.
The panel further demanded the total needs of the agency to ascertain if there was a need for borrowing.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, said the $200 million was for importation and local production of mosquito nets.
