CSJ want sanctions for officials indicted in malaria funding fraud

Following the suspension of Global Fund (GF) funding for malaria programme to the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has demanded the immediate prosecution of health and other officials who failed the audit test of the GF that led to the suspension. The Lead Director of CSJ Eze Onyekpere, said […]

Following the suspension of Global Fund (GF) funding for malaria programme to the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has demanded the immediate prosecution of health and other officials who failed the audit test of the GF that led to the suspension.

The Lead Director of CSJ Eze Onyekpere, said in Abuja in a statement that for the NMEP of the Federal Ministry of Health to mismanage resources provided by the international donors/community to save Nigerian lives under The Global Fund, is an attack of on the right to health of Nigerians, which stands condemned.

He said the development is a national scandal that rubs negatively on the image of Nigeria at a time the government claims to be committed to the war against corruption.

The Head Grant Management of the GF Mark Edington had written to the National Coordinator of the NMEP Dr. Nnenna Ezeigwe, detailing the fraud perpetrated by officials that led to the suspension and demanded the Federal Government take action before the funding suspension could be lifted.

“We therefore call on the anti-corruption agencies to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding this mismanagement as established in the audit report of the NMEP and bring the perpetrators to book. Nigerians expect the plugging of the leaks so as to avoid a repeat in the future. We also need guarantees of non-repetition,” Onyekpere said.