President Bola Tinubu has taken decisive action by suspending the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, with immediate effect, News About Nigeria reports.
This move comes in the wake of controversies surrounding financial transactions authorised by the minister in her ministry, including the approval of substantial payments into the private accounts of civil servants.
A statement by presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale announced the suspension on Monday, stating that the president is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in managing the nation’s wealth.
The statement revealed that the suspension is part of a broader effort to investigate all aspects of financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as associated agencies.
President Tinubu has directed the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the financial transactions in question.
The president has also mandated a panel led by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to conduct a comprehensive diagnostic of the financial architecture and framework of social investment programmes.
The primary goal of the investigation and panel is to eliminate institutional frailties within relevant institutions and programmes, ensure the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households, and restore public confidence in social investment initiatives.
The suspended minister, Betta Edu, has faced public criticism for authorising the transfer of N585.2 million into the private bank account of a civil servant responsible for grants for vulnerable Nigerians.
The leaked memo, dated December 2023, revealed the minister’s directive to transfer the funds, a move that contradicts financial regulations designed to prevent fraud and corruption in government transactions.
In response to the allegations, Betta Edu insisted that the act is legal within the country’s civil service and claimed that she was being targeted for her anti-corruption stance.
However, financial regulations clearly state that public money should not be paid into a private account, and any officer doing so is deemed to have done it with fraudulent intent.
The suspended minister has been instructed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry during the suspension period.
