Senate Rejects FG Proposal to Borrow N82billion For Mosquito Nets

The Senate has faulted the plan of the federal government to borrow $200 million to purchase mosquito nets and other ancillary medical therapies to prevent malaria.

Members of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts faulted the proposed loan requests when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mahmuda Mamman, informed them of the plan.

If approved by the National Assembly and accessed, the loan would be used to medically fight malaria in the 13 orphan states which cover 208 local government councils and 3,536 Primary Healthcare Centres, he said.

But a member of the committee, Ibrahim Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara) wondered why plans were being made to borrow $200 when N450 million had been budgeted for malaria treatment in the proposed 2022 Appropriation bill.

Mr Oloriegbe, who is also the chairman of the committee on health, also wondered why there are no plans to produce and patronise mosquito nets and malaria drugs in Nigeria.

“This is unacceptable. We should be able to put our feet down when dealing with these donor agencies or creditors as regards loans to be taken and what it should be expended on.

“This is a clear case of money and jobs for the boys by creditors luring you for loans and railroading you on what it should be spent on.