President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.
Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the president on media and publicity confirmed the suspension of Edu in a statement released in Abuja on Monday.
Ngelale said the suspension of the Minister was in with Tinubu’s
avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians.
Tinubu directed Edu to hand over the affairs of the ministry to the Permanent Secretary immediately.
The Minister has been enmeshed in allegation of corruption for allegedly diverting public funds amounting to N584 million to a private bank account.
The President had earlier suspended the Co-ordinator of NISP, Halima Sheu for allegedly diverting N44 billiin into her private account. The NSIP is under the supervision of Edu.
” The President further directs the Executive Chairman of 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 as one or more agencies there under.
“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 co-operate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.
Furthermore, the President has 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,” Ngelale said in the statement. (vitalnewsngr.com)
