President Muhammadu Buhari says he is serious about making Nigerians behave themselves.
Buhari said this while receiving a team led by Seth Berkley, chief executive of Gavi and the Global Fund, at the state house in Abuja on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, Buhari said he was impressed with the patience and steadfastness of leading supporters of health care in Nigeria, “despite our shortcomings as a nation”.
“We are making genuine efforts to correct the lapses. We are very serious about people behaving themselves, and being accountable,” he said.
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“We thank you for deciding to re-engage with us, despite our inefficiencies. You decided to be here, not minding our shortcomings. There are other countries that would bring less problems. We appreciate your commitment, and we will do our best to put ourselves in the best shape to help us.”
Berkley, who said that the three focal points of the Buhari administration, security, economic development, and anti-corruption are critical to the future of Nigeria, had raised issues over the utilisation of donor funds for health care.
He said that Gavi and the Global Fund were disappointed when forensic audit revealed systemic weaknesses and corruption in the utilisation of funds given in the past. But he noted that there was now a “breath of fresh air” under Buhari’s leadership and fight against corruption.
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He added that they were willing to “close the books of the past, and look into future support”.
Isaac Adewole, minister of health, who was also at the event, disclosed that those indicted in the audit of the donor funds in the past, which was done between 2010 and 2015, had already been questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and would be arraigned in court soon.
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