On Wednesday, the House of Representatives decided to look into the operations of the College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Abuja, including the Federal Government’s funding of the institution.
The House’s resolution came after a motion submitted by Hon. Jonathan Gbefwi and four other members was adopted at Wednesday’s session.
The Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Abuja, was founded by the Federal Government in 2008 as a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health in response to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s proposal.
In connection with the practice of homeopathic and naturopathic medicine, the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Act, Cap. M8. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 established the legal foundation for complementary and alternative medicine in Nigeria. Nigerian osteopathic, chiropractic, and acupuncture practices.
In order to develop and integrate complementary and alternative medicine into the Nigerian health care delivery system, the Federal Government established a Department of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine in the Federal Ministry of Health in 2018 through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
In his remarks on the motion, Gbefwi pointed out that the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Establishment) Act, 2021, was passed by the National Assembly as an unusual institution for the study of complementary and alternative medicine in Nigeria.
The House is concerned that the College has been closed since October 16, 2010, after the National Universities Commission shut down the College’s academic operations for operating degree programs without the required approvals and due process.
“We are disturbed that in 2011, the Federal Ministry of Health suspended the management of the College and instituted an Interim Administrative Team to manage its affairs, expending capital and overhead allocations amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for over 13 years.
“The government later in 2016, again, appointed a staff member of the College as Acting Head of Administration to ensure the day-to-day running of the college.
“We are worried by the allegations of unauthorised disbursement of funds, petitions and counter petitions to the financial crimes and anti-corruption agencies by staff of the College over financial impropriety by officials of the Ministry of Health and Management Staff of the College. ”
The House also expressed worry over what it called “The flagrant non-compliance with the provisions of the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Act, 2021 and appointment of a Sole Administrator in breach of an Act of the National Assembly.”
According to the Gbefwi, “The House is worried by the petitions and allegations of suspensions, non-payment of staff benefits and outright dismissal of some staff of the College by the Sole Administrator and employment of new staff without due process.”
Following the overwhelming support for the motion, the House at a plenary session presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas mandated the Committee on Speciality Healthcare to investigate the allegations of unauthorised disbursement and application of funds to the College.
The committee was also mandated to probe the closure of academic activities of the College by the NUC, continued non-functionality of the College and non-compliance with provisions of the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Act, 2021.
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