THE House of Representatives, on Tuesday, mandated the committees on Defence, Army and Public Procurement to investigate alleged multmillion naira contract scam in Ministry of Defence.
The House resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Honourable Tajudeen Yusuf calling on the House to probe the allegation.
In his motion, Honourable Yusuf said “the entire media space has been awash with an alleged duplication, misappropriation, and mismanagement of multimillion naira contract in the Federal Ministry of Defence.”
The lawmaker noted that some high-ranking appointees and officials in the Ministry of Defence were allegedly involved in the contract scam that had gone viral and not in sync with the efforts of the Federal Government to fight corruption.
He explained that the contract was for the relocation and refurbishment of Level 2 hospital under the United Nations multi-dimensional integrated stabilisation mission in Mali.
He also observed that the Level 2 hospitals which were funded by the United Nations and awarded to countries who contribute to troops/ police global peace missions, carry out limited surgeries on officers and men on military duties.
Honourable Yusuf, however, raised concern that the alleged scandal blew open following United Nations directive that Nigeria should move the Level 2 hospital from its present temporary camp at the Timbuktu airport in Mali to the more secured new UN super camp also in Timbuktu.
According to him, “in a desperate bid to cover its tracks, the Ministry of Defence in February 2017, allegedly awarded a contract for the refurbishing and relocation of the hospital to a contractor who had zero experience in installation of level 2 hospital.”
The Ministry of Defence, he said, “apart from awarding the contract in the name of another firm after getting presidential approval, also floated the procurement guidelines of the Bureau of Public Procurement.”
The motion was passed after the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, put it to a voice vote.
