The House of Representatives yesterday resumed its probe into the $1.8 billion and $2.8 billion grants received by Nigeria from the Global Fund and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) between 2021 and 2025.

The money was meant for the fight against HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The House had mandated the Committee on Infectious Diseases to investigate the grants totalling $44.6 billion.

Speaking at the resumed investigative hearing, Committee Chairman, Ogah Amobi, said the probe is not a witch-hunt or a vendetta. According to him, it is geared towards putting Nigeria and Nigerians at the epicentre of all policy thrust, especially on issues of public health threats such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

He said: “It is also to restore confidence in our international donor partners in our adherence to transparency and accountability, and to ensure that whatever grant we receive must be judiciously expended.

“We must therefore ensure that leaders, both at government and non-governmental levels, do the right thing to ensure we get it right with the implementation of programmes to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases in our country.”

He urged collaboration among key stakeholders and the committee to ensure they remove duplication by allocating resources to areas that will provide greater value for Nigerians.

The committee said: “We also expect quarterly reports of the activities of all recipients and sub-recipients, and key implementing partners of Global Fund grants from the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism in Nigeria.

“As we await the process for the disbursement of the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund Grant within a few months, it is expected that this process will become operational.”