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Asuquo Cletus Felix | 8th Jan. 2024
ONDO – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of Dr Betta Edu, as Minister Of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
In a statement issued on Monday 8, January 2024 signed by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, it noted that the president’s directives were in line with the President Commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians
Betta Edu a former All Progressive Congressive National Women leader, came under fire recently, involving an alleged N44 billion fraud at the National Social Investment Program, (NSIPA) as well as allegedly writing the accountant general Dr Oluwatoyin Madien instruct pay N585M into a private UBA bank account, for payment to vulnerable groups.
The statement reads
“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 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 programs with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programs 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.
“These directives of the President take immediate effect.”