By Christiana Ekpa
The deputy chairman of the House of Representatives committee on anti-corruption, Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos (PDP, Plateau) has accused the chairmen of Jos south and Jos east local government councils of Plateau state for alleged diverting health equipment worth N50 million.
Bagos, who represents Jos south/Jos east federal constituency of the state made the allegations in Abuja on Sunday.
He said the diverted medical equipment worth N50 million meant for Jos south/Jos east federal constituency intervention were result of his lobby.
According to him, the equipment, which are his constituency projects in the 2020 capital budget were supplied through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
He disclosed that the items were supplied since 2021 and diverted without distribution to the various primary health care centres in the federal constituency.
Bagos said he was dismayed that his constituents could be denied access to the equipment despite a letter from NPHCDA to the local government councils to allow him distribute to his constituents.
“This is unacceptable and it is inhuman to prevent people from accessing health equipment and items meant for their wellbeing. Our people are in dire need of healthcare and here we have equipment, yet we cannot put them use because of a few powerful individuals.
“If these items were not supplied by the agency, we would have known but a situation whereby the equipment were duly supplied and some people decided to divert them since 2021, it’s a matter that the anti- corruption agencies should investigate”, he stated.
Bagos lamented that the two local government council chairmen were playing politics with peoples lives perhaps because he was not a member of their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)
“We do not have to play politics with our peoples lives. Simply because the chairmen are APC members and I’m of the PDP, they are punishing the people thinking they are fighting me and whittling down my popularity. This is unacceptable”, he alleged.
The lawmaker also made available a letter from the NPHCDA headquarters, Abuja dated 16th July, 2021, signed by a deputy director/state coordinator of the agency, Mr. Igbatius Ifeanyi Ohanu.
The letter addressed to the local government chairmen titled “Access to medical equipment supplied to Jos south by NPHCDA” read in part “Kindly allow Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos representing Jos south/Jos east in the National Assembly to have access to medical equipment supplies to Jos south by the NPHCDA.
“The items are Hon. Bagos’ constituency projects under the capital for 2020 possibly made available to the two local government councils by the lawmaker’s efforts supplied through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) Abuja.
“Please, release the items to him for tagging, documentation, distribution and flag off to the underlisted primary health care facilities in your local government area”.
