A major scandal involving the alleged diversion of public funds has surfaced in Anambra State, where a N26.7 million contract for a power generator at a primary healthcare facility remains unexecuted over a year after full payment was made.
The Missing 50kVA Generator
On December 31, 2024, records indicate that Grovedales Limited received a total sum of N26.7 million for the supply and installation of a 50kVA JMG soundproof generator. The contract, facilitated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), was intended to serve the 20-bed Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Umunnachi, Dunukofia Local Government Area.
The specifications for the project included not only the high-capacity generator but also a slab base and a burglary-proof enclosure. However, sixteen months after the funds were disbursed, tracking reports confirm that not even a spark plug has been delivered to the site.
Medical Services Paralyzed by Darkness
The absence of the promised equipment has left the Umunnachi PHC in a state of operational paralysis. Without a reliable power source, the facility is unable to power essential medical equipment, refrigerate life-saving vaccines, or pump clean water for patients and staff.
During a recent site verification, the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the PHC expressed shock at the findings, stating that the facility was never officially notified of the project.
“I have no knowledge of this project. Nobody told me, and nobody consulted the facility management regarding the delivery of any power equipment,” the OIC revealed to investigators.
Demands for Accountability
The failure to execute the project is being viewed as a double betrayal of the community by both the contractor and the supervising government agency. Critics argue that the government failed in its oversight responsibility by paying out millions without verifying project completion.
Anti-corruption monitors and civil society groups are now calling on the Presidency, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to launch an immediate probe.
The primary objectives of the demanded investigation are to recover the diverted funds and ensure that Grovedales Limited fulfills its obligation to the people of Umunnachi, who continue to be denied access to safe and functional healthcare.
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