The House of Representatives has uncovered a shocking case of continued public spending on a non-functional institution. Lawmakers revealed that the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Abuja, which was shut down in 2010, has continued to receive funding from the federal budget for the past 15 years.
The revelation came during an investigative hearing organised by the House Committee on Specialty Healthcare, probing financial activities linked to the College. The institution, established in 2008 under the Federal Ministry of Health, was closed two years later following directives from the National Universities Commission (NUC) due to failure to meet academic standards.
Despite its closure, the College has consistently appeared in the national budget, with both capital and recurrent allocations reportedly running into hundreds of millions of naira.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, who declared the hearing open at the National Assembly in Abuja, described the matter as a serious national concern. He stressed the need for accountability in public service, saying:
“Institutions designed to serve the public good must not become vessels for administrative opacity or financial recklessness.”
He noted that the findings of the hearing would guide future legislative decisions, including institutional restructuring, sanctions, or policy reforms.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Alex Egbona, reminded attendees that the House had on May 7, 2025, passed a resolution calling for a full investigation into the College’s financial activities. The investigation covers allegations of unauthorised fund disbursement, non-compliance with the 2021 Act establishing the College, and possible fraud involving officials of the Ministry of Health and the suspended management of the College.
“The Committee is aware that although the College stopped functioning academically in 2010, records show it still receives annual funding. This is unacceptable,” Egbona said.
He added that petitions submitted to the Committee raised concerns about possible misuse of funds and lack of oversight by the supervising ministry.
Lawmakers at the hearing called for urgent steps to stop the waste of public funds and ensure that all government institutions are subject to proper oversight.
The investigation continues, with expectations that the Committee’s final report will lead to sweeping changes within the Ministry of Health and possibly other sectors where similar financial irregularities may exist.
