Anambra: Five NAUTH Staff In Police Net Over Alleged N15m Fraud
LAGOS MARCH 25TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi, Anambra state has handed over five (5) of its junior staff to the Nigerian Police for investigation and prosecution for allegedly defrauding the Institution of Fifteen Million (N15M) by manipulating its Automated Billing and Account Method.
Four staff of consulting firm for the Automated Billing and Accounting Method , Health Station were also handed over to the Nigerian police for colluding with NAUTH staff in the fraud.
Already the Nigerian police have arraigned 2 of the NAUTH staff and 4 staff of Health Station to an Nnewi Magistrate court for defrauding the Federal government. The other three were cleared of the allegation but warned to be careful with their dealings to avoid falling prey.
The automated billing method was introduced by the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi, Anambra state to minimize fraud , so said the Chief Medical Director(CMD) of the hospital, Prof Anthony Igwegbe hence the discovery of the fraud during audit.
The CMD told journalists in his office on Friday that the automated billing method was introduced into the institution in 2012 and that the idea behind the introduction was to minimize fraud.
Prof Igwegbe said the discovery was possible because of NAUTH’s zero tolerance to corruption even as he said further that the system has enhanced services of the hospital by reducing waiting time of patients noting that the system is being powered by “Health Station” on Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“At a time in the history of this hospital, all manner of receipts were flying around here, some of the receipts in use in those days even looked more original than the hospital’s original receipts and in the process huge sums of money was lost to the fraudsters.
“The automated billing method has been working effectively for the hospital until this year when our partner employed some bad eggs who connived with our staff to defraud the system. The fraud was discovered three weeks ago. After the incident, the company carried out a system auditing and discovered that it was their staff who manipulated the system.
“Their management is not taking it lightly with the staff suspected to be at the centre of fraudulently manipulating the system. The suspects have been charge to court on two count charge of fraud and forgery.
“We have set up a committee to investigate the level of involvement of our staff and at the end of the day, the ones found culpable would be dealt with in line with the existing civil service laws. The management of NAUTH has zero tolerance to fraud, that is why we introduced the automated billing system.” Prof Igwegbe explained.
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Posted by News Rangers
on Mar 25 2019. Filed under National.
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