How ICPC is investigating MDAs for COVID-19 intervention funds and procurement violations

By Adeleye Kunle

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has hinted at an investigation into Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for violations of COVID-19 intervention funds guidelines and other procurement violations, TrackNews reports.

Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), chairman of the ICPC, made this disclosure at the 2022 African Union Anti-Corruption Day, which President Muhammadu Buhari declared open yesterday in Abuja. The theme of the 2022 African Union Anti-Corruption Day is “Strategies and Mechanisms for Transparent Management of COVID-19 Funds.”

In his remarks, the ICPC chairman stated that “the commission had observed discrepancies and infractions in the procurement and payments made by some ministries and agencies following the release and appropriate disbursement of COVID-19 funds.”

According to him, the commission also observed that in some cases, the distribution of relief materials or palliatives was chaotic, disorderly, and uncoordinated.

“Some implicated MDAs refused the monitoring team access to their records, impeding the successful investigation into their activities,” he said. These MDAs have been flagged and will be investigated for violations of the law and COVID-19 intervention funds guidelines, as well as other procurement abuses.

Hoarding and material diversion were also common, necessitating raids by people in some situations, facilities, or locations warehousing palliatives. Some of these also resulted in widespread violence.”

According to the ICPC chairman, reports also revealed selective distribution, favoritism, nepotism, and other biases in the allocation and distribution of relief material or palliatives, as well as palliative highjacking by political actors, their proxies, cronies, and affiliates.

Concerning the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, Owasanoye stated that the ICPC worked with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) to ensure the integrity, transparency, and accountability of vaccine dose distribution in the country.

It was also to ensure that accountability is established and maintained throughout the four phases of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign: theft and embezzlement, service provision, vaccine availability, and advisory.

“The essence of this collaboration was to ensure the integrity of the program because any form of corruption or deviance, no matter how minor, in the COVID-19 vaccination exercise will undermine the government’s massive efforts against the pandemic, deny and deprive willing Nigerians of the right to be vaccinated, and may escalate and blow up the number of infected, thereby worsening the health crisis,” he explained.

While acknowledging progress in its mandate, the ICPC chairman stated that the commission’s activities are focused on things that enhance the government’s desire to eradicate corruption in the revenue and expenditure sides of governance; bring development closer to the people by reducing poverty and implementing sustainable development goals; ensure value for money in the implementation of publicly funded projects; and increase asset recovery and asset return.