Hounkpatin and Wadagni clarify the use of COVID management funds for Benin

Controversies have arisen in Benin after the report by the court of auditors regarding the management of the COVID-19 funds was published to the public. Romuald Wadagni, who is the minister in charge of Finance and Economy as well as the Health Minister, Benjamin Hounkpatin addressed the media yesterday on June 15^th, 2022. The reason for this media outing was to clear the air regarding the new report that looks into the Covid funds. 

On Radio Benin, Wadagni said that there are inconsistencies between the cost mentioned by the Auditor’s Court and that mentioned by the Finance Minister. He also said that it must be remembered that it was the State’s will to spontaneously launch the audit, which was made public. Wadagni also said that there was no question of anyone being prosecuted and that it was normal that on some things all the information cannot be accessed. 

The Health minister assured the public that there have been corrections made so that the incurred expenses are justified. Hounkpatin thinks that there was transparency in all actions taken within the jurisdiction of Covid funds.

An overwhelming majority of funds for Covid have already been processed. However, there have been claims and complaints by some agents and police officers regarding the amounts paid to them. There was a decree that fixed these amounts and also omissions that do not depend either on the Economy and Finance Ministry or the Health Ministry. 

However, the Health Minister did acknowledge that there were problems in the transmission device, and that the team in charge of it was working daily to fix and correct this. He also said that the Government of Benin is working hard to implement the performance in public fund management. He admitted that there were some dishonest officials and agents who had to be apprehended for misappropriation of Covid funds.