NIGERIA: Reps To Investigate Alleged Mismanagement Of N350bn ANRiN Loan

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

The House of Representatives has decided to investigate the alleged mismanagement and improper use of a N350 billion loan, intended for the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) programme.

This came after a motion was adopted at Thursday’s plenary, moved by Hon. Chike John Okafor, the member representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo federal constituency of Imo State.

While moving the motion, Okafor highlighted the alleged mismanagement and misuse of N350 billion in the Loan Intervention ANRiN programme.

He explained that ANRiN is a World Bank-funded, performance-based initiative aimed at tackling nutritional challenges in Nigeria. The project seeks to improve nutrition for vulnerable communities by expanding access to quality, affordable nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five.

He noted that 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 pointed out that the programme was launched by the Federal Government in 2018 with the goal of addressing the urgent need to protect Nigerian children from the severe and long-term effects of malnutrition, while aiming to achieve improved nutritional outcomes by December 2024.

He expressed concern, stating, “The programme has been described as ‘water, water everywhere but no water to drink’—a well-intentioned initiative to tackle malnutrition, but it seems to have produced little more than ineffective results, as reflected in the reports and current indicators, despite the significant loan from the World Bank.”

The lawmaker stated that an investigation will assess the extent of the alleged mismanagement of funds in the ANRiN programme, evaluate its impact, identify those responsible, and recommend accountability measures for future $50 million interventions.

Upon adopting the motion, the House directed 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 key stakeholders to provide necessary documents and information on ANRiN.

The committees are to complete the investigation and report within four weeks for further legislative action.

The House of Representatives has decided to investigate the alleged mismanagement and improper use of a N350 billion loan intended for the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) programme.

This came after a motion was adopted at Thursday’s plenary, moved by Hon. Chike John Okafor, the member representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo federal constituency of Imo State.

While moving the motion, Okafor highlighted the alleged mismanagement and misuse of N350 billion in the Loan Intervention ANRiN programme.

He explained that ANRiN is a World Bank-funded, performance-based initiative aimed at tackling nutritional challenges in Nigeria. The project seeks to improve nutrition for vulnerable communities by expanding access to quality, affordable nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five.

He noted that 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 pointed out that the programme was launched by the Federal Government in 2018 with the goal of addressing the urgent need to protect Nigerian children from the severe and long-term effects of malnutrition, while aiming to achieve improved nutritional outcomes by December 2024. He expressed concern, stating, “The programme has been described as ‘water, water everywhere but no water to drink’—a well-intentioned initiative to tackle malnutrition, but it seems to have produced little more than ineffective results, as reflected in the reports and current indicators, despite the significant loan from the World Bank.”

The lawmaker stated that an investigation will assess the extent of the alleged mismanagement of funds in the ANRiN programme, evaluate its impact, identify those responsible, and recommend accountability measures for future $50 million interventions. Upon adopting the motion, the House directed 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 key stakeholders to provide necessary documents and information on ANRiN. The committees are to complete the investigation and report within four weeks for further legislative action.