House to Audit UBTH 2024 Expenditure

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Federal House of Representatives has announced plans to carry out an audit on the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) as it relates to the 2024 budget expenditures and 2025 projection of the hospital.
Patrick Umo, Chairman, House Committee on Public Health Institution, announced this on Tuesday in Benin City while speaking with journalists.
Umo, accompanied by Billy Osawaru, representing Orhiomwon/Uhunmwode federal constituency on oversight visit to the tertiary hospital.
The house committee chairman said the visit was not a witch-hunt but to perform its constitutional function and carry out a comprehensive audit of the 2023 and 2024 budgetary expenditures.
He said they have look at the books and documents that have been submitted to the committee even though some of the documentations are not as accurate as “we would have expected them to be”.
The committee chairman who queried the debt on drug revolving fund and others said “we will sit over the documents, evaluate them and do all that we can when necessary.
“Documents have been submitted, concern have been raised and motion was moved by my colleagues for investigation and the chairman has moved that the hospital must be investigated.
“He said they have “highlighted areas the committee would conduct an audit on such as “drug revolving fund, energy and personnel audits of the hospital.
“We have our suspicious on the documentations hence we are going to look at the books and conducted a proper evaluation and assessment of what was presented.
“So, our report will be out when we sit down at an enlarged committee. We will get back to the hospital and tell them areas where they need to improve and show them the areas of weaknesses and strengths”
Umo who said though he can’t speculate or indict any one at this stage noted that the constitution presumes everyone innocent until proven otherwise.
“I can’t sit here and begin to indict people when we have not conducted audit, it would be premature.”
Umo while lauding the hospital for being one of the biggest tertiary health institutions, stressed the need for management to step up in terms of infrastructure, in terms of emergency response, and the payment system.
He however noted that those needed to be invited would be invited by the Clerk of the House, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, for clarifications