President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Sector-wide Coordinating Office-Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU) domiciled in the Office of the coordinating minister of health and social welfare.

A statement on Friday by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said the unit would ensure efficient, transparent and accountable management of external grants mobilised towards the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).

Mr Ngelale said SCO-PMU would report to a steering committee/ministerial oversight committee chaired by the minister, including the minister of state, permanent secretary, ministry of finance, ministry of budget and economic planning and relevant development partners.

“The SCO-PMU will serve as the secretariat and delivery unit for the NHSRII and is to be headed by a national coordinator (NC).

“The functions of the SCO-PMU include programme management, monitoring and evaluation, engagement and supervision of Independent Verification Agents (IVAs) for NHSRII programmes and fiduciary management, among others.

“Consequently, the president has approved the appointment of Dr. Muntaqa Umar Sadiq as the national coordinator of SCO-PMU,” he said.

Mr Sadiq has over 17 years of experience in public health, impact investing, investment banking, energy, and climate financing across the health, finance, climate and energy sectors.

He had served as head of the performance management and delivery unit at the federal ministry of health and social welfare and chief executive officer of the private sector health alliance of Nigeria.

He also served as head of the Nigeria energy transition office and private sector engagement adviser at the World Bank.

(NAN)