Thelma Osatohanmwen
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called for a thorough investigation into a massive alleged fraud involving accountants of various ministries.
This comes in the wake of a scandal involving the transfer of N585 million into a private account, which has raised serious concerns about corruption in governmental financial practices.
HEDA expressed shock at the brazenness of the dismissed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, for her role in directing the transfer of public funds into a private account. This incident has prompted President Bola Tinubu to suspend all Social Investment Programmes overseen by the National Social Investment Programme Agency, a move HEDA has lauded as a significant step in combating corruption.
In a statement by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA urged President Tinubu to broaden his anti-corruption measures to include a detailed review and investigation of Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, particularly focusing on their accounting personnel. This, according to HEDA, would reinforce the President’s commitment to eradicating corruption within the government.
The anti-corruption watchdog highlighted the ongoing investigations into alleged misconduct within various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies nationwide.
Suraju pointed out that the National Social Investment Programme Agency has been under scrutiny following the suspension of its CEO, Halima Shehu, over alleged laundering of N37.1 billion within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development. The situation was further complicated by the suspension of Edu’s successor, Betta Edu, who is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Edu was implicated in the scandal for authorizing the transfer of N585 million to a private account held by Oniyelu Bridget, the Project Accountant for Grants for Vulnerable Groups. Additionally, there are allegations that under Edu’s leadership, the ministry awarded a N438 million consultancy contract to New Plant Projects Limited, a company reportedly linked to the Interior Minister, related to the National Social Register.