Govt To Probe Diversion, Sale Of ‘Free’ Mosquito Nets In Nigeria … blames middlemen, poverty

Oru Leonard

The Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Dr. Godwin Ntadom, has expressed concerns over the diversion and sale of “free” treated mosquito nets across the country, vowing to institute a probe.

Ntadom made this known during an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The latest alarm over dogged fraud in the distribution of mosquito nets branded “Not for sale” is coming on the heels of an investigation by Clearview TV with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).

The NMEP Coordinator, represented by Assistant Director Dr. Aminu Mahmoud Umar, disclosed that the agency is deeply worried that free mosquito nets do not get to the right people, noting that the agency will investigate and unravel how vendors sell donated free mosquito nets.

Umar assured that NMEP does not “keep quiet when corrupt acts are perpetrated” as there are existing measures internally to tackle unwholesome behaviours. He stressed the need for a more robust tracking mechanism to monitor mosquito net distribution and sensitization of the public.

It was advocated that Nigeria must seek a sustainable solution against poverty, which is pushing some poor people into selling free mosquito nets.

“We are really sad to hear this kind of news, and definitely, we will investigate further. We need to find out what is happening. As much as possible in the program, we need to work with the authorities to see that all the culprits that are responsible for these sales are put to book so that this will not continue in this country, especially because it’s creating a bad name for our organization and we don’t like that.

“We work with different agencies, and If we find instances of corruption, we report them. I can assure you that some of these nets have been given through philanthropic individuals. Individuals gave money willingly to support these nets because we know that a lot of people don’t have money to buy these nets.

“We have been working with the authorities. We work with the state governments and the state governments take full ownership of these distributions. We at the national provide direction, information, and the figures,” He clarified.

Umar commended PRIMORG for amplifying the investigation and drawing NMEP’s attention while calling for more sensitization of citizens against aiding the diversion and sale of free mosquito nets by patronizing those selling them.

“I think there’s a need for education and awareness to inform the populace and communities about this diversion of nets and encourage people to report such acts to the authorities, and the people should not buy nets labelled “not for sale.” There is also the need for a sustainable solution to address poverty because we know that people are engaging in these activities because of poverty,” Umar stated.

On his part, Medical Practitioner and Leadership Consultant Dr Victor Otubo called on NMEP to fully leverage technology in tracking the distribution of free mosquito nets, blaming government authorities for poor monitoring and lack of consequence for actors of the unwholesome act.

Otubo said the prevention of the malaria scourge in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized, adding that public officeholders must be made accountable while calling for a new approach to the distribution of free mosquito nets.

“As far as there are no consequences for selling free mosquito nets, the perpetrators won’t stop. I recommend that NMEP should ensure treated nets are handed directly to pregnant women during antenatal, and this way there is certainty the nets are getting to the people who are really in need of it”.

Otubo lamented Nigeria’s failure to produce mosquito-treated nets for its citizens locally, “It is disturbing Nigeria cannot produce nets. Can’t we negotiate the production plans with the partners to localize it so that we can reduce the cost?

“I think there should be a regulation by the government to zero out the rights of private companies to sell nets because that’s already a lacuna for a lot of things to go wrong. We need to know that all nets in Nigeria are not for sale,” He said.

On his part, Script Editor at Trust TV, Nten Ekpang advised NMEP and law enforcement agencies to start apprehending hawkers and vendors of ‘Not for Sale” mosquito nets along Nigerian roads as that will signify seriousness to addressing the corruption undermining malaria elimination in Nigeria.

Ekpang disclosed that some Primary Health Centers visited by the Clearview TV team during the investigation uncovered that the facilities were lacking free mosquito nets to the detriment of children and pregnant women and added that sellers of the free nets are perpetrating the act in broad daylight along Nyanya, Mararaba, and Masaka roads, Nasarawa state, close to Abuja Nigeria’s capital.

He urged the government to take responsibility for stopping the ugly trend, noting that the citizens are guilty of abating and aiding the problem.

“It’s not just the sellers of free mosquito nets that are the problem, but even those of us buying the nets are guilty of the law. So, the point is that the government is not helpless. They don’t want to do it. The government is powerful. When they are ready to do something, they will do it,” Ekpang posited.

Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation.

(PRIMORG Media)