The House of Representatives has raised suspicions about the financial transactions by the management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, (UBTH) Ugbowo, Benin-City in Edo State, and has resolved to scrutinise its books, especially the 2023 and 2024 budgetary expenditures.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that the planned probe covers part of the tenure of the immediate past chief medical director of the hospital, (CMD) Prof Darlington Obaseki, who completed his eight years tour of duty August 17, 2025, and handed over to his successor, Mrs. Idia Ize-Iyamu, professor of dentistry and orthodontics and first female CMD, on Monday August 18, 2025.
Announcing the plan to carry out an audit of the hospital on Tuesday in Benin, Patrick Umo, Chairman, House Committee on Public Health Institutions, accompanied by Billy Osawaru, representing Orhiowon/Uhunwode federal constituency, told journalists that having looked at the books and documents that had been submitted to the committee, some of the documentations were not “as accurate as we would have expected them to be”.
The Umo-led committee, on oversight visit to the hospital, however insisted that the planned comprehensive audit was not a witch-hunt but a constitutional function.
The committee chairman, who particularly raised eyebrows over the debt on drug-revolving fund and others, said “we will sit over the documents, evaluate them and do all that we can when necessary.
“Documents have been submitted, concerns have been raised, and a motion was moved by my colleagues for investigation and the chairman has moved that the hospital must be investigated”.
According to him, the committee has highlighted areas it would conduct an audit on, “such as drug-revolving fund, energy and personnel audits of the hospital.
“We have our suspicions on the documentations hence we are going to look at the books and conduct a proper evaluation and assessment of what was presented.
“So, our report will be out when we sit down at an enlarged committee. We will get back to the hospital and tell them areas where they need to improve and show them the areas of weaknesses and strengths”.
Umo, who said though he couldn’t speculate or indict anyone at this stage, noted that the constitution presumes everyone innocent until proven otherwise.
” I can’t sit here and begin to indict people when we have not conducted audit; it would be premature”.
Acknowledging the UBTH as one of the biggest tertiary health institutions in the country, Umo underscored the need for management to step up in terms of infrastructure, in terms of emergency responses, and the payment system.
He however noted that those that needed to be invited would be invited by the Clerk of the House, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, for clarifications.