Reps C’ttee dismiss Diplomatic Protocol in investigation of UNOPS Official

*Query Health Ministry over $100 M Loan for mosquito nets contract.

JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Aids, Malaria and Tuberculosis Control have rejected international the statute that officials of international organizations are excluded in the powers of the National Assembly to investigate any person or authority for the purposes of exposing corruption and maladministration in Nigeria

Sections 88 and 89 of the Nigerian Constitution of Nigeria empowers the National Assembly to investigate any person or authority for the purposes of exposing corruption, inefficiency and waste in the administration of laws made by it.

However at an investigative hearing organised by the House Committee on Aids tuberculosis and Malaria Control on Wednesday on the $100 Million loan obtained from international financial institution by the Federal Ministry of Health for the malaria control programme the officials of the United Nations Office for Projects UNOP sought diplomatic immunity from the panel.

A representative of the UNOP at the hearing Mrs O. Ifeoma faced severe bashing from the committee members when she said that an official of the United Nations and any of it’s agencies is covered by diplomatic immunity from any investigation by national parliament

On the role of the UNOP on the matter of procurement of insecticide treated mosquito nets, she said that the organization had not undertaken any and as such the Ministry of Health had to put the issue on hold.

She further told the House panel that the organization has procured local drugs which had undergone through quality control testing adding that all other products testing had been concluded except the nets.

But the members of the House Committee notably Hon.Cyriacus Umeha(Enugu,LP) and Hon Billy Osawaru (Edo,LP)were furious over the request to shield the UNOP officials on the investigation based on diplomatic protocols.

The Committee Chairman Hon Amobi Ogar in his ruling on the matter requested the report of the Ministry of Health on why the UNOP cancelled the contract and procurement of the nets.

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