By: TOBI ADETUNJI
President Bola Tinubu has suspended Betta Edu, the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, from office with immediate effect.
The Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announced the minister’s suspension in a statement on Monday afternoon.
There had been intense calls by rights activists and many Nigerians for Betta Edu ’s suspension. The Federal Government on Sunday acknowledged the outrage following her alleged involvement in a disbursement fraud and said the President had ordered a thorough probe of Edu’s ministry.
Controversy had enveloped Edu’s alleged involvement in the approval of N585,198,500.00 to be disbursed into a personal account.
However, the 37year Edu, who is also said to be the youngest in the President’s cabinet before her suspension, subsequently said there were plans to tarnish her image, adding that she won’t embezzle government funds.
In a letter allegedly signed by the humanitarian minister, she allegedly instructed the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer the sum to the account of one Oniyelu Bridget as grants for vulnerable groups in four states.
However, Madein explained that although her office received a request from the humanitarian ministry to make certain payments, her office did not act on it.
Incidentally, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is presently probing Edu’s predecessor, Sadiya Farouq, over alleged laundering of N37.1 billion during her tenure as a minister under the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement on Monday, the President directed Ola Olukoyede, the EFCC Chairman, “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 President directed the suspended minister to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and “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 in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative.”
‘The President directed the suspended minister to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and “fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation”.Proscribe Militias As Terrorists’, Plateau Christian Leaders Present 10-Point Demands
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