Senate rejects Federal Government’s proposal to borrow N82 billion to buy mosquito nets for Nigerians

The Nigerian Senate has rejected a proposal by the Federal Government to borrow $200 million (N82 billion naira) to buy mosquito nets.

According to The Punch, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Gershom Bassey on Tuesday, opposed the move during the 2022 Budget defence presented by the Ministry of Health.

Senator Bassey told the Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry, that the proposal to borrow 82 billion naira ($200 million) at the official exchange rate of 410 naira to a dollar, to buy mosquito nets was outrageous.

The committee further demanded the total needs of the Ministry to determine if there was a need for borrowing such amount.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, revealed that the 82 billion naira was for importation and local production of mosquito nets.