Reps Probe Alleged Mismanagement Of N350bn ANRiN Loan

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged mismanagement and misapplication of $232 million, equivalent to N350 billion loan for Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) programme.

Consequently, the House mandated its relevant committees to investigate the ANRiN World Bank loan to ensure that special programmes of nutrition values are not abused or mismanaged.

This followed the adoption of a motion moved by the member representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo federal constituency of Imo State, Hon. Chike John Okafor at plenary on Thursday.

Moving the motion, Okafor acknowledged the alleged mismanagement and misapplication of $232 million in the Loan Intervention ANRiN programme in the country.

He noted that ANRiN is a World Bank-funded, performance-based project that uses loans to address nutritional challenges in Nigeria and providing improved nutrition for vulnerable communities by increasing access to quality, cost-effective nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five years of age.

The lawmaker said the programme is run in the 12 selected states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, and Plateau from the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Okafor noted that the programme was entered into by the Federal Government in 2018 to achieve a balance between the urgent need to protect Nigerian children from the devastating and lifelong effects of malnutrition with the expectation of improved nutritional interventions and outcomes before December
2024.

He expressed concern that, “The programmes so far have been alleged to be ‘water, water everywhere but no water to
drink,’ a beautiful programme for solving malnutrition challenges, but it has appeared to produce miraculous and obviously ineffective outcomes, taking cognizance of the reports and current indicators of Nigeria amidst such a huge and humongous loan from the World Bank.

“The recently released Nigeria Demographic Health Survey 2023/2024 indicated a worsening of nutrition specifics with indices showing an increase in under 5 (five) stunting and malnutrition and the current realities raising question about the 232 million US dollars spent for nutritional interventions and Nigeria’s poor global ranking.”

The lawmaker said an investigation will determine the extent of the alleged mismanagement of Funds in the ANRiN programme, evaluate its impact, identify responsible parties, and propose accountability measures for future $50 million interventions.

The House on adoption of the motion, mandated its relevant committees to invite the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the World Bank, the twelve beneficiary states and other relevant stakeholders involved to provide necessary documents and insights on ANRiN for ease of investigation and report within four weeks for further legislative action.