By Gift Chapi Odekina, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets and Special Duties has directed the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, to submit documents related to Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), concession agreements, and leases.

The committee asked for proof of advertisements for PPPs and concessions, expressions of interest on leases, and records of achievements from the Ministry.

The committee also examined BioVaccines Nigeria Limited—a joint venture between the federal government and May & Baker formed in 2007—and other partnerships involving the Ministry. Deputy Committee Chairman Hon. Dabo Haruna issued the directive during an investigative hearing held in Abuja.

Committee Chairman Hon. Ademorin Kuye, who joined the hearing later, instructed the Minister to provide documentation supporting the Ministry’s N10 billion equity contribution, along with lease agreements related to land given to May & Baker in Lagos. The Minister was also asked to present documents regarding the transfer of shares to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).

Kuye stated, “The federal government’s equity contribution in one instance is 10 billion Naira. We want to know the status of these funds, including their utilization, release dates, and where they are domiciled.”

He continued, “The government also allocated land in Lagos as part of the agreement. We request comprehensive documentation for this property. Finally, we need clarity on the share capital split between the federal government and its partners, along with detailed records of each party’s shares.”

In response, Minister Pate requested additional time to compile the requested documents. He explained, “The Ministry has been collecting the necessary documents, but there are still gaps. I want to ensure that the response we submit is thorough and vetted. Many of these agreements were established years before our administration, and we are working with the remaining records.”

He added, “I appreciate your patience and assure you that we are making every effort to gather all relevant documents. I respectfully request more time to compile these records, with a summary of when each agreement was made.”