Npower News: Labour Party, PDP And Civil Society Organisations Calls For The Prosecution Of The Minister In Charge Of Npower Dr. Betta Edu For Money Laundering

Displeasure over the document signed by the Minister in charge of Npower, Dr Betta Edu, requesting the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Dr Oluwatoyin Madein, to make payment of ₦585,189,500 into the personal bank account of a project accountant in the name of Mrs Bridget Oniyelu, the Labour Party, PDP and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) are calling for the prosecution of the Minister in charge of Npower Dr. Betta Edu for money laundering

According to Npower News, the minister in charge of Npower Dr Betta Edu had claimed that the transfer was meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states.

The opposition parties; LP, PDP and Civil Society Organisations in an exclusive interview requested for the complete overhaul of the ministry in charge of Npower from the time it was established by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Npower News, in the leaked memo which has since gone viral, Dr. Betta Edu the minister in charge of Npower, directed the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to make payment of ₦585,189,500 to the UBA bank account of the Minister's Project Accountant named Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.

According to the leaked memo, ₦219,429,750 was designated as “2023 grant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom state;” ₦73,828,750 was earmarked for Cross River State; ₦219,462,250 for Lagos State; and ₦72,468,750 was budgeted for Ogun State.

The minister in charge of Npower Dr. Betta Edu said the payment should be removed from the account of the National Social Investment Office (NSIO).

According to Npower News, the leaked memo read, “I hereby approve the payment of the cumulative sum of ₦585,189,500. These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope grant for vulnerable groups.

“This payment should be made from the National Social Investment Office account with account number: 0020208461037 to the project accountant’s details listed above.”

According to Npower News, the Media Assistant to the Minister in charge of Npower, Rasheed Zubair, in a statement, disclosed that it was legal within the public service for such payments to be made into personal accounts of project accountants.

The Media Assistant to the Minister in charge of Npower, Rasheed Zubair, said “Oniyelu Bridget is the Project Accountant for the 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."

Contrary to this, the Accountant General of the Federation AGF said her office did not honour the request to pay ₦585m into a personal account of the project accountant as directed by the minister in charge of Npower Dr Betta Edu.

According to Npower News, the Director of Press in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr Jacob Mokwa, said in a statement made few days ago that the Accountant General of the Federation does not make payments on behalf of Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The Accountant General of the Federation, revealed that her office received the Dr. Betta Edu's request as contained in a memo referenced FMHAPA/HQ/S.208 and dated December 20, 2023, but she did not effect the payments.

According to Npower News, the Accountant General of the Federation said that payments were usually processed by the affected ministries as self-accounting entities and no huge some of payment was supposed to be made to a personal account in the name of the project accountant.