President Bola Tinubu has suspended Betta Edu as minister of
humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation.
Edu has been under fire after a memo surfaced wherein she
asked Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the federation, to transfer the
sum of N585 million to a private account.
Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s spokesperson, said Tinubu has
directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “to conduct a
thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction” involving
Edu’s ministry.
The suspension is with immediate effect, the statement added.
“In line with his
avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency,
and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians,
President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty
Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect,” the statement
reads.
“The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough
investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the
Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as
one or more agencies thereunder.
“The suspended Minister is hereby directed to hand over to
the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and
Poverty Alleviation, and she is further directed by the President to fully
cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their
investigation.
“Furthermore, the
President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the
Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a
comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the
social investment programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant
institutions and programmes.
“These directives of the President take immediate effect.”
The instruction for the payment of N585 million to a private
account was contained in a leaked letter dated December 20, 2023.
In the letter signed by the minister and titled: “Mandate
for Payment of Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and
Ogun States Respectively”, Edu instructed the accountant-general to transfer
the aforementioned sum to the UBA account of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
The minister had said the payment instruction followed due
process, even though the accountant-general of the federation said she did not
carry out the minister’s request because no bulk money “is supposed to be made
to an individual’s account in the name of Project Accountant”.
Edu had also approved the payment of flight fare for staff
to Kogi, even though the north-central state has no airport to its name.
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That is a good move. If fuel can be sold at 300 then he will have my vote again
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