Betta Edu latest News on Alleged Disbursement of N585 Million: Federal Minister Addresses Controversy
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is embroiled in a financial scandal as a document surfaces, revealing that the Minister, Betta Edu, approved the disbursement of N585,198,500.00 into a personal account. The funds were purportedly allocated for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states.
The document, circulating widely, is signed by Minister Betta Edu and addressed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, directing the payment to one Oniyelu Bridget. According to the information, Oniyelu Bridget holds the position of Project Accountant for Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
In response to the allegations, Rasheed Zubair, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Minister Betta Edu, defended the disbursement, asserting that the N585.198 million payment for vulnerable groups followed due process. Zubair explained that Oniyelu Bridget serves as the Project Accountant for the Grants for Vulnerable Groups, justifying the payment into her account.
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He clarified, “Oniyelu Bridget is the Project Accountant for GVG from the Department of Finance, and it is legal in civil service for a staff, the project accountant, to be paid and use the same funds legally and retire the same with all receipts and evidence after the project or programme is completed.”
Despite this explanation, the controversy has sparked discussions on social media, with many Nigerians questioning why a substantial sum of government money was directed to an individual’s account. Public sector financial regulations from 2009 prohibit the payment of public funds into a private individual’s account.
Section 713 of the law explicitly states, “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account. An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intention.
This revelation follows the recent suspension of the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, Halima Shehu, under Minister Betta Edu’s jurisdiction, over alleged financial misappropriation.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained Shehu and is investigating an alleged N44 billion fraud. Additionally, EFCC froze N30 billion moved from NSIPA’s accounts.
The former Minister of the Ministry, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, has also been invited for questioning over a financial scandal allegedly involving a contractor, James Okwete.
The unfolding events raise concerns about financial accountability within the Ministry and the broader implications for social intervention schemes.
