The presidency has said that it is investigating the transfer of N585.189 million grant meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states into a private account.
This is just as some civil society organisations called for the sacking of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, for directing the payment.
They asked the president not to condone impunity, demanding that Edu be removed as minister and made to face interrogation by anti-corruption agencies.
“The matter is under investigation,” the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, told Daily Trust on Saturday.
“Appropriate Action will be taken thereafter,” Onanuga added.
In a viral document signed by her and directed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Edu directed the disbursement of N585.189 million into one Bridget Mojisola Oniyelu’s private account.
The leaked document revealed that the money was paid into Oniyelu’s account.
The minister had, in a statement on Friday by her Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Zubair, said the payment followed due process.
Zubair had explained that the money was paid into Oniyelu’s account because she currently serves as the project accountant of Grants for Vulnerable Groups. He said it is legal in the civil service for a staff member, to be paid, use the same funds legally and retire same with all receipts and evidence after the project or programme is completed.
The Executive Director of the Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) Global Resource Initiative, Buna Olaitan Isiak, urged Tinubu “to set up a panel to probe the matter so as to set precedence for future culprits.”
“Payment of humongous public funds into a private account is purely corruption no matter the merit of her (Edu’s) defence. This is a violation of all the anti-corruption laws of Nigeria.
“The development is an opportunity to test the sincerity of President Tinubu on his willingness and determination to fight corruption and the readiness of his government to depart from the past ways of doing things.
“By now, Betta (Edu) should be a guest of relevant anti-corruption agencies to answer questions about how our funds escaped to a private account. It is not too late to act,” he said. Daily Trust
