From Abel Leonard, Lafia
A coalition of organisations against corruption in Nigeria has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) over the alleged payment of N380 million to contractors without clear descriptions of the projects involved.
The group, in a press release signed by Mr. Adamu Musa and made available to journalists, called for immediate action, stating that such opaque transactions undermine the government’s commitment to financial transparency.
According to a report published on the 7th of October, 2024, by the Foundation of Investigative Journalism (FIJ), “On September 14, the NPHCDA disbursed about N380 million to various contractors, but failed to provide any specific details regarding what the payments were for,” the statement read. “This contravenes the 2021 directive on the Open Treasury Portal, which mandates that all federal agencies disclose detailed information about payments exceeding N5 million.”
According to data sourced from BudgIT’s Govspend platform, which mirrors the federal government’s Open Treasury Portal, payments to five contractors on that day raised concerns due to the lack of transparency.
Among the recipients was Greenstone Pharmacy Stores, which was paid N76.3 million. Another company, Nozama Enterprises Limited, received N79.4 million, and Cureject Global Limited was paid N79.6 million. Notably, Cureject was flagged for non-compliance with certain financial regulations between 2020 and 2024, according to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
Yeemas Pharmaceuticals and General Services Limited was also paid N77.3 million, while Medicguard, another pharmaceutical service, received N67.5 million, with none of the payments tied to any specific project descriptions.
“The lack of transparency in these transactions is alarming,” Musa added. “Federal agencies are expected to adhere to financial guidelines set by the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, which stipulate that payments exceeding N5 million must be detailed, including the purpose, amount, and beneficiary.”
The coalition emphasised that the NPHCDA’s actions directly violate the presidential directive, which was intended to enhance accountability in the management of public funds.
Former President Buhari had stated at the launch of the Open Treasury Portal, “The accountant-general of the federation (AGF) must publish a daily treasury statement which will provide information about what came into the national purse and what went out every single day.”
Efforts by reporters to contact the NPHCDA for clarification were unsuccessful. An email sent to the address listed on the agency’s website bounced back, indicating that the address was invalid. Additionally, the two phone numbers provided—one for WhatsApp and the other for general inquiries—were unreachable.
The coalition pointed out that by providing incorrect contact details, the NPHCDA is in breach of the guidelines issued by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). These guidelines require government websites to have functional contact information for public inquiries.
“We call on the EFCC and ICPC to investigate these transactions and ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” Musa stated. “Public funds should be used responsibly and transparently.”