The House Public Accounts Committee, led by Chairman Hon. Bamidele Salam has demanded that the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba Hospital should account for contract sums of N422.3 million as well as the spending of N50.3 million on staff training.

This is also as the committee vowed to ensure strict compliance with budgetary appropriations by government agencies.

The committee embarked on an oversight mission to Lagos, scrutinizing institutions such as FMC Lagos, LUTH, NIMASA, and others for financial and extra-budgetary infractions.

During the investigative hearing, the committee grilled the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, over non-remittance of Internally Generated Revenue, extra-budgetary spending, and violation of financial regulations.

Similarly, LUTH’s Medical Director, Prof. Lanre Adeyemo, faced questions over non-remittance of IGR, discrepancies in Remita payments, and extra-budgetary spending without approval. The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations offered and requested evidence of approvals, spending, and adherence to financial regulations.

The committee resolved that the excuses presented by the hospitals did not justify the contraventions, which amounted to gross violations of extant laws. Other agencies scheduled to appear before the committee include NIMR, National Orthopaedic Hospital, NIMASA, and others.

The committee’s oversight mission aims to ensure that government agencies provide value for money and comply with budgetary appropriations, with Chairman Salam emphasizing that the committee is not out to witch-hunt but to ensure accountability and transparency.

Salam, in his opening remarks, said the agencies must show value for any money they have collected.

He said violations of would not be tolerated and threatened appropriate sanctions according to the law against defaulters.

The committee in its hearing entertained presentations from the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, was probed

On various financial and regulatory infractions from the committee,

The committee during the question and answer session queried Owoeye over the recurring non-remittance of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He was also questioned for engaging in extra-budgetary spendings and also the inability to adhere to financial regulations thereby contravening several sections of financial regulations.

The committee also frowned at the employment principle of the hospital which failed to accommodate the federal character principle of sharing available job opportunities equitably across the geo-political zones of the country.

The committee also demanded that the hospital to account for contract sums of N422.3million as well as the spending of N50.3million on staff training.

The explanations offered by the CMD fell short of the expectations of the committee and it therefore requested for records all the paid for, completed and on-going contracts.

The CMD also stated that the 500 bed facility which was established in 1907 is in urgent need of support to enable it to deliver on its mandate.

LUTH on the other hand which was represented by its Medical Director, Prof. Lanre Adeyemo, who headed his team of staff explained that his hospital is also undergoing some challenges that have made its operations very difficult, pointing out that, of all of such, power supply has remain stubbornly outstanding.

He put the cost of powering the hospital at some point at over N181 million monthly until a federal government intervention of 300 solar panels were deployed.

He was grilled on non-remittance of IGR, discrepancy in Remita payments amounting to over N2 billion, extra-budgetary spendings without approval amounting to N150.3 billion in the period under review.

He was also questioned on the untidy work by the LUTH tender board, contravention of circular on no-payment for staff’s professional membership fees, amongst other sundry issues.

His justification of the issues under probe did not convince the committee and it therefore requested for necessary evidences on approvals, spendings and adherence to financial regulations.

Ruling on the matters, the committee resolved that, all the excuses rendered in explaining the contraventions did not hold water and cannot be tolerated.

It posted that they amounted to gross violation of extant laws.

Both hospitals complained about personnel loss due to the “japa syndrome” and untimely release of budgetary allocations to them.

They called on the committee to help them intervene in all their problems to enable them to live upto public expectations.

Other MDAs scheduled to appear before the committee include: Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, NIMR; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi; Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA); Nigerian Shippers Council, (NSC); Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA); Nigeria Railway Corporation, (NRC); Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, (CRFFN); amongst others. (Vanguard)

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