Betta Edu’s transfer N585 million alleviation fund to private account stir hornet’s nest

Our reporter/ The decision of the minister of humanitarian affairs, Betta Edu to transfer hundreds of millions of naira designated for vulnerable Nigerians in four states into a private individual account has not gone down well with most Nigerians who took to the social media on Friday to denounce the move.

Last December, Ms Edu wrote the office of the accountant-general, demanding that N585 million earmarked to reduce poverty of vulnerable citizens in Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Lagos, and Ogun states be paid into the UBA account — 2003682151— of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.

“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.  Name: Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, bank: UBA, acct no: 2003682151,” Ms Edu wrote in a letter to Ms Madein on December 20.

“This payment should be made from the National Social Investment Office account with account number l; 0020208461037 to the project accountant’s details listed above,” she added.

The diversion of such huge amount of funds into a private account has caused people to question the integrity of Ms Edu, believed to have a close relationship with President BolaTinubu.

Sadiya Umar Farouq, the former humanitarian minister under the immediate past Muhammadu Buhari administration, is still under probe over the alleged embezzlement of N37.1 billion while she was in office.