Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbass on Tuesday expressed concern over what he calls the troubling state of the Federal College of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Abuja, even as he said he was confident that the committee on specialty healthcare has what it takes to unpack they mysteries surrounding the college’s governance.
Abbass said this in a message he sent to the public hearing in Abuja. The public hearing was organized following a motion to that effect and was coordinated by the committee chairman, Dr Alex Egbona.
The speaker hailed the committee for organizing the public hearing and noted the platform would provide an opportunity for the public to provide necessary information that may guide the House in the investigation.
He said: “This hearing is a direct response to a resolution of the House, to interrogate the reports of unauthorized disbursement of funds, the indefinite suspension of academic operations by the National Universities Commission, the long-standing dormancy of the College, and persistent non-compliance with the provisions of the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Act, 2021.
“The House was informed that the College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, established in 2008 under the Federal Ministry of Health, has remained non-functional since 2010 following the cessation of its academic programmes.
“However, what continues to alarm both the legislature and the public is the fact that despite its closure, the institution has consistently received annual allocations, both capital and recurrent, running into hundreds of millions of Naira.
“The House has received numerous petitions indicating sustained financial irregularities over 16 years. The allegations range from unauthorized fund disbursement to possible systemic mismanagement by officials linked to both the Ministry and the College.
“These are not matters to be taken lightly. Institutions designed to serve the public good must not become vessels for administrative opacity or financial recklessness. That is why we are here to speak on behalf of the people of Nigeria, and we must get to the root of this matter.
In his opening remarks, the committee chairman said his committee was aware that in year 2008 the Federal Government established the College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine as a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health, but that it was later closed in 2010 following the shutdown of academic activities by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
But Egbona wondered why the college management was still receiving and spending funds from the federal government, even after it was shut down.
“The Committee is in receipt of petitions on allegations of unauthorized disbursement of funds and financial impropriety by officials of the Ministry and Management of the College over the years.
“It is important to note that the National Assembly passed the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Establishment) Act 2021 as an unconventional institution for the pursuit of academic and professional knowledge in the field of complementary and alternative medicine in Nigeria, therefore providing the needed legislative and legal backing for the operations and functioning of the College,” Egbona said.
