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Tag: MDA

  • Tinubu orders mandatory health insurance for MDAs

    Tinubu orders mandatory health insurance for MDAs

    President Bola Tinubu has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to enforce mandatory health insurance across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

    ‎The directive aligns with the provisions of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, 2022, and mandates immediate issuance of a service-wide circular to ensure compliance.
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    ‎The President also called for “further, closer and constructive engagement with the private sector on the Act to ensure that businesses are not unduly constrained.”
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    ‎According to a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, the directive outlines five key areas of implementation across public institutions.
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    ‎“All MDAs must enrol their employees in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) health insurance plan.”
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    ‎MDAs may also procure additional private insurance coverage where necessary, as long as it aligns with the NHIA Act.
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    ‎“All entities participating in public procurement must present a valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as part of their eligibility documentation.”
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    ‎This certificate serves as proof of compliance and is a precondition for participating in any procurement-related activities.
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    ‎“All MDAs must require applicants to present valid NHIA Health Insurance Certificates as a precondition for issuing and renewing licenses, permits, and other official approvals.”
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    ‎To support this, the NHIA will develop a digital verification platform to ensure transparency and ease of access.
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    ‎MDAs are further required to collaborate with NHIA to establish internal systems for verifying the authenticity of submitted health insurance certificates.
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    ‎They must also implement consistent compliance monitoring to ensure all regulatory obligations under the Act are met.
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    ‎The presidential order aims to expand health coverage, protect workers, reduce out-of-pocket expenses, and improve accountability in both public and private sectors.

    ‎The NHIA Act, enacted in 2022, mandates health insurance for all Nigerians and empowers the NHIA to take necessary steps toward universal coverage.
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    ‎In spite of advancements in the health sector, national insurance coverage remains alarmingly low, three years after the law’s passage.

  • SERAP sues Tinubu over ‘failure to prosecute contractors in N167bn project fraud in MDAs’

    SERAP sues Tinubu over ‘failure to prosecute contractors in N167bn project fraud in MDAs’

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over “the failure to direct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun to name and ensure the prosecution of the contractors who collected over N167 billion from 31 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) but failed to execute any projects.”

    Joined in the suit as Respondent is the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

    In the suit number FHC/L/MISC/121/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Fagbemi to bring to justice, as appropriate, any companies and contractors who collected over N167bn of public funds from 31 MDAs but failed to execute any projects.”

    SERAP is asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Olawale Edun to publish the specific names of the companies and contractors who collected over N167 billion from 31 MDAs but failed to execute any projects, as documented in the 2021 Audited Report by the Auditor General of the Federation.”

    SERAP is also asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Olawale Edun to publish the details of the projects, such as the locations of the projects for which the contractors and companies collected N167bn, the amount collected by each contractor and company and the names of the shareholders.”

    In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “The allegations of corruption involving many companies and contractors who collected over N167 billion from 31 MDAs have continued to impair, obstruct and undermine access of poor Nigerians to public goods and services.”

    SERAP is also arguing that, “Holding the companies and contractors who collected over N167bn from 31 MDAs but disappeared with the money would prevent and combat waste, fraud, and abuse in the spending of public funds.”

    According to SERAP, “There is a legitimate public interest in not shielding or allowing ingrained wrongdoing by companies and contractors to go unpunished.”

    SERAP is also arguing that, “The consequences of corruption are felt by citizens on a daily basis. Corruption exposes them to additional costs to pay for health, education and administrative services.”

    SERAP said, “The allegations suggest a grave violation of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anticorruption legislation and international anticorruption obligations.”

    The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Oluwakemi Agunbiade, read in part: “Granting the reliefs sought would ensure transparency and accountability in how any public funds are spent by MDAs, and reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.”

    “The UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party contains requirements of integrity and honesty in economic, financial or commercial activities-both in the public and private sectors.”

    “It also imposes obligations on the government to ensure that sanctions imposed for corruption on natural and legal persons are effective, proportionate and dissuasive.”

    “Ensuring the accountability of companies and contractors and the recovery of any diverted public funds would improve public accountability in MDAs.”

    “The accountability of government to the general public is a hallmark of democratic governance, which Nigeria seeks to practice.”

    “According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation published on Wednesday 13 November 2024, thirty one (31) ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) paid over N167 billion [N167,592,177,559.40] to companies and contractors for contracts and projects not executed.”

    “The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET) alone reportedly paid N100 billion to companies and contractors for projects not executed.”

    “Companies and contractors reportedly collected N100 billion from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET) for contracts and projects not executed.”

    “The thirty other MDAs including Nigerian Correctional Service; National Pension Commission, Abuja; Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Owerri; and Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) Office.”

    “Others include: Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF); Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development; Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Niger state; National Centre for Women Development; Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB); Federal University of Gasua; and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.”

    “Accountability requires transparency. Nigerians’ right to a democratic governance allows them to appreciably influence the direction of government, and have an opportunity to assess progress and assign blame.

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

  • Spreading MDAs across geopolitical zones – By Carl Umegboro

    Spreading MDAs across geopolitical zones – By Carl Umegboro

    By Carl Umegboro

    RECENTLY, the country was enmeshed in uproars over the move of some federal agencies and departments back to Lagos by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government with allusions in some quarters perceiving it as a scheme to limit economic growth in Abuja but upturn Lagos. In fact, it was punctured as a plot to marginalize the north and its people by a president from the southern part of the country. The presidency on the other hand refuted the claims of alleged plot to diminish economic importance in the north, however did not profoundly give stout reasons for the action under the administration of President Tinubu, a hitherto governor of the state. Some of the critics believe the action is to energize the state using presidential might as “my Lagos”.

    Therefore, there is a need for caution when taking some actions in a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria to avert misinterpretation. More worrisome was the fact that the presidency negligently didn’t carry the National Assembly that constitutes representatives of all constituencies and ethnic groups in the country along for deliberation prior to the action. Without a doubt, such fears, misgivings and murmurs are expected in any society that nepotism has eaten deep and continues to take dominance. Any society where merit is always forced aside while nepotism is enthroned animatedly will always meet such incongruous uproar.

    Admittedly, such an action may have targeted Lagos state and the South-West geopolitical zone but the bitter truth is that concentrating all the federal ministries, departments and agencies in the federal capital territory is ill-thought. Suffice that the existing federal infrastructures domiciled all over Lagos could justify the choice of Lagos. Beyond the choice of Lagos, spreading MDAs outside the FCT with at least a federal agency or key department in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country will be a stimulus towards rapid economic growth across the entire country simultaneously.

    The lawmakers, policymakers have to cogitate it as a model, afar being a prerogative, to circumvent a discontent in future as witnessed from a quarter over moving some agencies and departments by Tinubu who has indisputable interest in Lagos. I am sure if Tinubu had picked any state from other five geopolitical zones, instead of southwest, or got parliamentary consent, the action would receive crystal green light as public interest-oriented, and that should be a model for a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria. Of course, this is worth a sober parliamentary reflection.

    Nonetheless, the antagonism certainly results from narrow-mindedness, bias and ethnic bigotry which have been impeding economic growth in the nation. There is no possible way all MDAs could be concentrated in an area without resulting in population surge with its associated outcomes particularly economic or societal imbalance. And certainly, it must propel rapid migration of people to the area and ultimately lead to congestion with high cost in vital living needs, particularly land and houses. This is a hard lesson the leaders failed to grasp over the years that made Lagos uncontrollably overpopulated. The leaders shouldn’t continue to repeat the same oversight after escaping to Abuja, otherwise, the same outcome is inevitable.

    Ideally, apart from Presidential Villa which comprises the offices and residences of the president and vice president, and then office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the FCT Minister, all other ministries, departments and agencies of the government can prudently operate from any side of the federation, and not mandatorily in Abuja. Take the population of the federal civil service of the nation, for instance, all being resident in Abuja with families. Thus, concerted spread of agencies and departments should be deeply considered beyond Lagos alone. Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955), a German-born theoretical physicist held to be one of the greatest and most influential scientists said, “If you keep doing the same things, you’ll end up getting the same results”.

    The dirge over the action is a total bunkum. It must be emphasized that there’s no region or part of the country that has a monopoly or preference of hosting federal institutions. A national establishment can be located anywhere in the north as well as the south. Abuja and Lagos are not exclusively anointed to be the federal capital territory but by mere time and chance. So, criticism must necessarily be constructive. Imagine the volume of economic activities that will spread across the six geopolitical zones in the country having at least a ministry, agency or department of federal government in each of them instead of having everything stocked in Abuja. This would certainly develop the zones simultaneously.

    With a spread, the rapid development witnessed in Lagos and now in Abuja as a result of the FCT status could replicate, spread across other states.  Just give Abuja a few years from now, it would become another ‘Lagos’ both as an economic hub and in terms of population explosion at the detriment of other states. This is a way of restructuring. As Einstein thundered, you cannot repeat the same errors in Lagos that led to relocating the federal capital territory to Abuja and get a different result. The then military junta only saw a suitable large expanse of land in the Abuja axis and concluded on relocation as a remedy without addressing the core factors that led to congestion in Lagos. But the error can be corrected by equitably empowering every geopolitical zone with equal opportunity. The existing structure of the nation where almost all national assets are domiciled in only two locations; Lagos and Abuja at the detriment of others is imbalanced and ill-advised.

  • Akpabio warns MDAs on serious consequences of non-compliance with resolutions, laws

    Akpabio warns MDAs on serious consequences of non-compliance with resolutions, laws

    Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, has issued a stern warning to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of government, cautioning them against non-compliance with Senate resolutions and laws.

    During a National Workshop on Legislative Compliance in Abuja on Tuesday, Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, emphasised the Senate’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.

    He also emphasised the importance of MDAs adhering to Senate resolutions.

    The workshop, organised in collaboration with Green Mount Consulting Ltd, discussed the imperatives of legislative compliance in deepening democracy and ensuring good governance.

    Akpabio stated that non-compliance with Senate resolutions was unacceptable, as it undermined the foundation of the country’s democracy.

    He urged MDAs to fully comply with Senate resolutions, emphasising the Senate’s dedication to fulfilling its mandate.

    Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate’s leader, echoed the significance of legislative compliance, highlighting its role in maintaining the rule of law within a democracy.

    He stressed the need for senators to adhere to their own resolutions and the responsibility of the legislative compliance committee to ensure compliance.

    Sen. Garba Maidoki, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, reaffirmed the 10th Senate’s commitment to addressing issues of compliance.

    He emphasised the importance of working together with MDAs to improve the country’s compliance with laws and resolutions.

    Sen. Ayogu Eze, harped on the critical role of the compliance committee, urging its members to draw up an agenda to enhance the country’s compliance with laws.

    He stressed that Nigeria had the potential to thrive if the right actions were taken.

    He said the Senate’s warning to MDAs was a clear message that adherence to the rule of law was essential for the country’s progress.

    The workshop is aimed at strengthening the relationship between the executive and legislative branches and improve compliance with laws and resolutions passed by the National Assembly.

  • Job racketeering: Reps re-summon absentee MDAs, threaten to invoke legislative powers

    Job racketeering: Reps re-summon absentee MDAs, threaten to invoke legislative powers

    The House of Representatives Ad hoc committee investigating alleged job racketeering and mismanagement of IPPIS by the agencies of Federal Government has re-summoned MDAs that refused to appear before it.

    The committee also threatened to invoke its legislative power to ensure compliance by the various MDAs.

    Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, the Chairman of the committee, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, that disregard for invitations amounted to contempt of legislature and warned of dire consequences.

    He expressed dismay over the deliberate refusal of several MDAs to appear before the panel, in spite of repeated invitation letters and publications in national dailies.

    Gagdi described such action as a deliberate attempt by the affected MDAs to frustrate the noble assignment of the panel, insisting it would not be allowed.

    He said hearing notice had been sent through major national dailies and the various MDAs offices to cause appearance.

    According to him, the committee requests that the MDAs avail it with relevant information relating to recruitments in their agencies.

    He said to the committee’s utmost dismay, its request was disregarded, adding that such MDAs action was considered as contempt of the legislature.

    He noted that the affected ministries whose details had already been published in the national dailies, were to appear before the committee within the stipulated scheduled dates.

    The affected MDAs, according to the publications, are to appear before the committee between Aug. 24, and 31.

  • Reps issue MDA’s final warning to appear before it

    Reps issue MDA’s final warning to appear before it

    The House of Representatives has issued a final warning to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government who failed to appear before it.

    Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, the Chairman Ad hoc committee probing job racketeering and mismanagement of Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS), gave the warning at its resumed sitting in Abuja on Wednesday.

    This is against the backdrop of over 200 MDAs that had failed to honour the committee’s invitation in spite of publication in newspapers.

    According to him, it is the Nigerian people that are summoning the MDAs, we are representative of the people and the MDAs must honour our invitation.

    Gagdi said any MDAs who failed to appear before the committee winds up its investigation should have itself to be blamed should the report of the committee indicted such MDAs.

    The lawmaker said, “We have made two different publications in two different national dailies inviting 200 agencies to appear before this committee.

    “The agencies have no excuses not to appear before this committee because they have a budget for newspapers publication and they are using it.

    “Our Daily Trust publication and the Nation Newspaper of today will serve as a final communication and we are going to abide by this, ” he said.

    He said the newspaper publications remained one of the mediums of communication that the National Assembly should use to reach out to MDAs.

    He added that with such a medium of communication, no MDAs would have an excuse to say they have not seen the message.

    He threatened to use information received from the MDAs for its investigation and the agency should have themselves to be blamed.

    He added that the MDAs would be accountable if they refused to appear before the committee to submit its final report.

    He said there was a need for employment to reflect the Federal Character, adding that the committee’s aim was to ensure that employment was not done in secrecy.

    This according to him was to ensure that Nigeria citizens who had no godfathers should have the opportunity to be employed in any MDAs.

  • Audit Report: Reps summon Ag AGF, MDAs over financial accounts

    Audit Report: Reps summon Ag AGF, MDAs over financial accounts

    The House of Representatives has summoned the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Okolieaboh Sylva for failing to lay the 2020 audit reports of Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs) of Government.

    Rep. Oluwole Oke, Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, issued the summoned on Tuesday in Abuja at the resumed hearing of the Committee on queries against MDAs by the office of Auditor General of the Federation.

    Oke frowned at the development and declared that this was affecting the work of the parliament at looking into the financial transactions of MDAs which would no longer be tolerated.

    “As the  9th Assembly is winding down, we need to redouble our efforts at looking into all the reports already laid before the House.

    “We have completed work on those from 2017 and our reports are already in the press after which we will lay the reports before the whole House for official consideration.

    ”This is why we are inviting the Accountant General of the Federation to come before this committee to tell us while he is yet to lay the  2020 audited reports of MDAs before the Parliament.

    ” We need to listen to him to know where the problem is coming from so that we can wade in to resolve whatever hindrance affecting the presentation,” he said.

    He said that the Minister of Finance had said that the nation’s expenditures surpased its income and the ICPC also confirmed that the 2022 budget was padded by the executive arm by several billions of Naira

    He said that what the country needed was to redouble its efforts at revenue generation and as well check the books of the MDAs.

    He warned all heads of MDAs who had refused to appear before it over audit queries raised against them to retrace their steps and do the needful in thier own interest.

    He said that the committee would have no other option than to effect the arrest of the defaulters or relocate its sitting to the premises of such MDAs

    He said that there was a need to look for the needed money to finance the 2023 budget to cater for the needs of the entire populace.

  • NCDMB emerges best MDA in ease of doing business ranking

    NCDMB emerges best MDA in ease of doing business ranking

    The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has been adjudged the best among all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the country in the latest Executive Order (EO1) performance ranking for Ease of Doing Business from January to June.

    The report is compiled by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), under the office of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    A statement posted on the board’s website on Wednesday said NCDMB came tops with 81.48 per cent, according to the report, released officially on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The statement said PEBEC was established in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari to address bottlenecks and bureaucratic constraints to executing business in Nigeria.

    According to the statement, the implication of this performance ranking shows that NCDMB has delivered service in a quality, efficient and effective manner in the past six months to its diverse stakeholders.

    It said over the years, the board had moved from the 27th position in 2019 to being the most improved MDA in the country and the third position in 2020, and presently the first in the country.

    Commenting on the report, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Simbi Wabote explained that the “trend of the positions the board has been ranked shows the impressive level of work we have put into delivering quality service over the years.

    “With the right attitude, training, and support, we have achieved the number one spot.

    “We would not rest on our oars and we will continue to give our utmost best and commitment to delivering quality service to our stakeholders and also explore areas of improvement.”

    Wabote thanked the NCDMB’s employees for their efforts in accomplishing the target he had set in June 2021 when he signed the Board’s SERVICOM Service charter.

    He disclosed that the board signed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with key stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to ensure promptness and effectiveness in the delivery of its statutory responsibilities.

    Wabote said: “At some point, we challenged the oil and gas industry that we have a 15-day rule that anything they send to us and they do not get a response within 15 days, they should assume that it has been approved.

    “Nobody has been able to take us to task on it because we meet the SLA that we signed.”

  • HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Boss Mustapha, MDAs summoned for failing to honour an invitation

    HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Boss Mustapha, MDAs summoned for failing to honour an invitation

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and heads of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) on Tuesday were summoned by the House of Representatives committees on Anti-Corruption and Public Service for failing to honour an invitation to an investigative hearing on the high level of corruption on nominal rolls of MDAs.

    The joint committee asserted that it will not hesitate to take further action if the heads of agencies fail to heed the summons.

    According to the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Anti-, Dachung Bagos, those summoned include the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, The Head of the Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and the Auditor General for the Federation, Adolphus Aghughu.

    Others are the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Bolaji Owasanoye, the Chief Executive Officer, Federal Character Commission, Muheeba Dankaka.

  • FG’s agencies are keeping N1.2trn illegally – Commission

    FG’s agencies are keeping N1.2trn illegally – Commission

    The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) says Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government are keeping N1.2 trillion in their coffers illegally.

    Chairman of the Commission, Mr Victor Muruako, told newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja that it arrived at the figure based on analyses of the annual audited financial reports of the agencies concerned.

    He said that government-owned enterprises and corporations were, supposed to remit 80 per cent of their operating surpluses to the Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF) of the Federal Government going by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

    Muruako added that the payment of the surpluses into the CRF was for the government to generate funds to meet revenue requirements in its budget execution.

    He further said that corporations did not pay income taxes or dividends and it was important that they made returns on government’s investment.

    “Many MDAs still persist in defaulting and practically keeping money away from the Federal Government’s reach.

    “Much more is yet out there in the hands of MDAs that either have failed to dutifully audit their accounts or that have done so but chose not to forward copies of their audited financial reports to the Commission as required by law,’’ he said.

    Muruako said, however, that the Federal Government had received more than N2.15 trillion as payment of operating surpluses from corporations since the establishment of the FRC.

    “This figure is not cheering, considering the importance of institutionalised fiscal responsibility measures and the quantum of effort that the Commission has expended in this regard,’’ he said.

    The chairman also told newsmen that the returns made was achieved through persistent engagement by the Commission and the National Assembly with the MDAs.

    He also reiterated the support of the Commission for states to institute mechanisms for fiscal responsibility management and measurement.

    He said more than 20 states had so far established Fiscal Responsibility laws and agencies, while many others had adopted alternatives or were at different stages of completing the cycle.

    He restated the call to states’ Houses of Assembly and state governments to take immediate measures to conclude the enactment of the necessary laws and the establishment of the relevant institutions.

    Muruako expressed his gratitude to the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre for its contribution to the organisation of the briefing and also called for all present to partner with the Commission.

    “We invite you to partner with the FRC in preventing corruption. The reality is that the Commission exists to prevent corruption from happening in the first place.

    “We will continue to do our best to ensure that there is value for money in our system,’’ he said.