Reps to probe mismanagement of N350bn ANRiN fund

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged mismanagement of N350 billion in the implementation of Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN).

The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Chike Okafor (APC-Imo) at plenary in Abuja on Thursday, December 12, 2024.

Moving the motion, Okafor said there was alleged mismanagement and misapplication of $232 million loan intervention in the ANRiN programme in the country.

According to him, ANRiN is a World Bank-funded, performance-based project that uses loans to address nutritional challenges in Nigeria.

The lawmaker stated that the project was aimed at providing improved nutrition for vulnerable communities.

This, he said, was through increasing access to quality, cost-effective nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls and children under five years of age in 12 states.

Okafor recalled that the ANRiN programme was entered into by the federal government in 2018 to achieve a balance between the urgent need to protect Nigerian children from the devastating and life-long effects of malnutrition.

Okafor said it was expected to improve nutritional interventions and outcomes before December 2024.

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The lawmaker said: “Concerned that the programme so far has been alleged to be ‘water, water everywhere but no water to drink’, a beautiful programme for solving malnutrition challenges, but it has appeared to produce miraculous and obviously ineffective outcomes.

“This is cognizant of the reports and current indicators of Nigeria amidst such a huge and humongous loan from the World Bank.

“Worried that the recently-released Nigerian Demographic Health Survey 2023/2024 indicated a worsening of nutrition specifics, with indices showing an increase in under-five stunting and malnutrition and the current realities, raising question about the $232 million spent for nutritional interventions and Nigeria’s poor global ranking.

“An investigation will determine the extent of the alleged mismanagement of funds in the ANRiN programme, evaluate its impact, identify responsible parties, and proposed accountability measures for future $50 million interventions.”

In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, mandated the Committees on Nutrition and Food Security, Finance, Aids, Loan and Debt Management to investigate the matter and report back within four weeks.

The Star