Orders EFFC to investigate all financial transactions by ministry, agencies
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.
This is coming on the heels on the president’s avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians.
The President had, on Sunday directed a comprehensive inquiry into an allegati0on that N585m meant for the Federal Government’s poverty alleviation interventions under Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation were transferred into a private individual’s account.
He had vowed to “decisively punish” those involved in any breaches and infractions unravelled during the investigations.
In a statement on Monday by his Special Adviser to the President, (Media & Publicity), Chief Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu has also directed 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 any agencies under the ministry.
“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,” President Tinubu directed in the statement.
The President has also 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 programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes 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,” the statement by Ngelale stated.