Npower News: How Betta Edu Warehoused ₦66,000,000,000,000
According to Npower News, Betta Edu, the ex-Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation last year December requested the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to warehouse over ₦66,000,000,000,000 unspent in 2023 for the ministry.
According to a letter from the Office of the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to the Accountant General, Betta Edu made the request less than two weeks before the end of the 2023 financial year.
According to Npower News, the letter exclusively was dated December 20, 2023 and signed by Betta Edu.
The letter was titled, ‘Warehousing of Unspent Balance Fund from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation NSIP Account (NSIO) for Year 2023 Financial Year.’
According to Npower News, the letter read, “From 2020 to date, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has in its budget line the National Social Investment Office which runs the National Social Investment Programme saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring social investment towards enhancing the livelihood of the people which is in line with the renewed hope agenda of the present administration.
“The NSIPA is facing some challenge in disbursing and processing payment to our beneficiaries and considering the year is coming to an end by 31st December, 2023; we have balances in various accounts as follows,
1) NSIO/ Special Intervention 0020208461637 (CBN): ₦65,828,891,947.58
2) NSIO 0020208461077 (CBN): ₦500,000,000.00
“Sequel to the above, we crave the indulgence of the Accountant General of the Federation to kindly warehouse the Funds above to enable us discharge our obligations and pay all our expenditure accordingly, as we already have approvals from the President to implement.”
“Please accept my warmest regards,” Betta Edu added.
The total amount that Betta Edu demanded the Accountant General to ‘warehouse’ by the end of the 2023 financial year amounted to ₦66,328,891,947.58 (₦65,828,891,947.58 and ₦500,000,000.00).
On January 8, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended Betta Edu from office with immediate effect.
According to Npower News, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu further directed the 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.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu further directed Betta Edu to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.
Betta Edu’s suspension followed reports of alleged misappropriation of funds against her as the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and poverty alleviation.
Earlier publications online showed how Betta Edu had requested the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to send public funds to a private account.
According to a memo that went viral, the private account belonged to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by Betta Edu.
A letter from Betta Edu with reference number: FMHAPA/HQ/OHM/S.208 to the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein dated December 20, 2023, asked that over ₦585,000,000 should be sent to a private account.
The letter signed by the suspended minister, Betta Edu, is titled ‘Mandate for Payment of Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States Respectively’.
It read, “I hereby approve the payment of the cumulative sum of five hundred and eighty-five million, one hundred and eighty-nine thousand, five hundred naira (₦585,189,500.00). These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups.”
According to Npower News, the details show that ₦219,429,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom State; ₦73,828,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Cross River State; ₦219,462,250.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Lagos State while ₦72,468,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Ogun State.
The letter said the payment of ₦585,189,500.00 –the total sum – should be made to a UBA account: 2003682151 belonging to Ms Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
“This payment should be made from the National Social Investment Officer account with account number: 0020208461037 to the Project Accountant’s details listed above,” it added.
Earlier publications also disclosed how ₦226,188,500 was moved to Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship elections in the states.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states on November 11, 2023.
In the election characterised by irregularities including vote-buying, thuggery and pre-recorded results, the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were declared victorious in Imo and Kogi states while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and incumbent Governor of Bayelsa State secured re-election in his state.
According to Npower News, documents obtained reported that the funds were moved to the states a few days before the elections in the name of providing palliatives for indigent and underprivileged people.
But government sources disclosed that the funds were mobilised to the states days before the elections to buy votes under the cover of catering for vulnerable people there.
“It was all a ruse to buy votes for APC and their candidates in the elections using the programme for vulnerable people as cover; that was why the events were done a few days before the governorship elections in the three states,” one of the sources had said.
A breakdown of the disbursement of the funds showed that N72,374,500 was moved to Kogi State on November 6, 2023, through the Director of Finance Account, National Social Investment Agency, just five days before the governorship election.
Also on November 6, the ministry approved and moved ₦72,423,250 to Bayelsa State under the ministry's 2023 grant for vulnerable groups programmes.
On November 3, 2023, a total of ₦81,390,750 was moved to Imo State under the same guise of providing grants to vulnerable groups, just seven days before the governorship election.
According to Npower News, the Minster of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu personally approved the transfer of the funds to the three states.
On October 31, 2023, the Nigerian House of Representatives summoned Betta Edu to brief the chamber on the status of the federal government’s conditional cash transfer programme to fifteen million households.
In a motion of urgent public importance, the House expressed concern over the handling of the programme, citing a lack of transparency and alleged fraudulent practices.
The lawmakers asked Betta Edu to provide details on the collation of data and the distribution of funds.
Image Credit: Sahara Reporters
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