He also approved the appointment of Dr. Muntaqa Sadiq as the National Coordinator for the unit.
(FILES) President Bola Tinubu signs a document
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Sector-wide Coordinating Office-Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU) within the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare. According to a statement released on Friday by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), this initiative aims to ensure the efficient, transparent, and accountable management of external grants mobilized for the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
The SCO-PMU will report to a Steering Committee/Ministerial Oversight Committee chaired by the Minister, which includes the Minister of State, the Permanent Secretary, representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, and relevant development partners.
As the secretariat and delivery unit for the NHSRII, the SCO-PMU will be headed by a national coordinator. Its functions will encompass program management, monitoring and evaluation, engagement and supervision of Independent Verification Agents (IVAs) for NHSRII programs, fiduciary management, and other related tasks.
Consequently, the President has appointed Dr. Muntaqa Umar Sadiq as the National Coordinator of the SCO-PMU. Dr. Sadiq brings over 17 years of experience in public health, impact investing, investment banking, energy, and climate financing across various sectors. He has held roles such as Head of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, CEO of the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Head of the Nigeria Energy Transition Office, and Private Sector Engagement Adviser at the World Bank.
Dr. Sadiq is a doctoral candidate in public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, holds an M.Phil in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Cambridge, and has an MBBS degree from Imperial College, London.
The NHSRII, unveiled on December 12, 2023, following the National Council on Health’s adoption of the sector-wide policy in November 2023, aims to enhance population health outcomes and the country’s human capital. Its primary objectives are to save lives, minimize physical and financial suffering, and ensure the health of all Nigerians. To date, $2.2 billion has been mobilized in external financing to support the implementation of the NHSRII through commitments from various development partners.
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