Minister of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Betta Edu, has confirmed her ministry paid N585 million Vulnerable Grant into a private account.
Both the Minister and her Media, Rasheed Zubair, disclosed this in recent statements.
In a statement posted on her Facebook page on Saturday, Edu said, “I am writing to address recent news circulating about alleged fraud within the Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation.
“As the Minister, I want to assure you that these claims are baseless and an attempt to undermine the efforts we are making to fight corruption and uplift those in need.
“In the course of our work, we have encountered resistance from forces whose hands may not be clean, but I want to emphasise that our commitment to transparency, accountability, and eradicating corruption remains unwavering.
“The challenges we face only strengthen our resolve to serve with integrity and dedication.
“I believe in the power of truth prevailing, and with God as my strength, I am confident that our collective efforts will continue to make a positive impact on the lives of the less privileged. Your trust and support are invaluable as we navigate through these unfounded allegations.”
In Zubair’s released on Friday, January 5, he explained that the fund was for the implementation of grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states.
He described allegations that the Minister diverted the fund as a blackmail gimmick.
A letter from the Minister instructing the Accountant-General of the Federation Oluwatoyin Madein to pay the sum of N585 million into a private account had been leaked on social media.
According to the letter, payment should be made into a United Bank of Africa (UBA) account of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
Confirming the payment, the Minister said in the statement issued on her behalf, “The general public is invited to note that the Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups is one of the social intervention schemes of the Federal Government, which the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is implementing.
“For the avoidance, the said N585m was approved, and it is meant to implement grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states.
“We must note that GVG was first launched in Kogi State, where recipients testified. Akwa Ibom and Cross River were launched in December 2023. Kogi already happened in November, and others will be launched in the coming weeks.
“The general public is invited to note that the Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups is one of the social intervention schemes of the Federal Government, which the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is implementing.
“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.”
Edu’s letter authorising the Accountant-General to make the payment has sparked reactions from Nigerians, who were concerned that public funds were being sent to a private individual.
“I hereby approve the payment of the cumulative sum of N585,189,500. These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope grant for Vulnerable Groups,” Edu wrote.
However, in the statement by her media aide, the minister said the payment followed due process and described reactions to the payment as sponsored attempts to blackmail her.
“It is glaring that the same sponsored disgruntled elements in the past few days have been trying to smear the Honourable Minister, Dr Betta Edu, and stain her integrity because she alerted the Federal Government attention to the ongoing N44.8 billion fraud in NSIPA.
“These elements have been trying to link her to a phantom fraud and are behind this latest misadventure. However, this latest vile effort of theirs is another infantile blackmail doomed for evisceration. For the avoidance, the said N585,198,500.00 was approved, and it is meant for the implementation of grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states.”
Earlier, Edu had been accused of being involved in a N3 billion fraud by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) fraud.
She, however, denied being involved in the fraud, saying she never withdrew the sum of N3 billion from the NSIPA account.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu barely four days ago suspended the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, Halima Shehu, an agency under Edu, over alleged financial misappropriation.
Consequently, Halima Shehu was detained and drilled by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over an alleged N44 billion fraud.
Following an investigation, EFCC froze N30 billion moved from NSIPA’s accounts.
Similarly, a former Minister of the Ministry, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, was invited by the EFCC over a financial scandal allegedly carried out through one contractor, James Okwete.
