KATHMANDU: Lawmakers have said that the haste shown by the government in assigning the Omni Group to procure health supplies has raised suspicions of irregularities.

At a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee under the House of Representatives held at Singha Durbar on Monday, lawmakers said that the series of meetings held on April 25 to hand over the procurement of health items to Omni had raised suspicions of irregularities.

They also questioned why the Omni Group was allowed to buy health items overnight.

During the discussion, lawmaker of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NPC) Birodh Khatiwada said that the meeting held overnight allowed the Omni group to buy health supplies has fueled suspicions.

Similarly, Nepali Congress lawmaker Dr. Minendra Rijal said that there was no satisfactory answer on the issue of handing over the responsibility of purchasing health items to the Omni Group.

He said that the issue of awarding the contract to those who did not participate in the initial discussion was suspicious.

Janata Samajwadi Party MP Pradip Yadav said that the public procurement system was breached in the procurement of health items and even the minister has been involved in it.

During the meeting, Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Narayan Prasad Bidari informed that the government has allocated funds to the state and local levels for the control and prevention of coronavirus infection.

At the meeting, Health Secretary Laxman Aryal and Director General of the Department of Health Services Dipendra Man Singh said that they did not have much information as they had just taken over the responsibility.