Beta Edu: N585m Payment into Private Account Was Approved, Denies Fraud Allegation

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Beta Edu, yesterday, said the memo on N585,198,500.00 which has been making the rounds on social media was meant for the implementation of grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states.

She denied that the sum was paid into a private account, stressing that it went through normal approval process and was for the disbursement of grants to vulnerable groups in the four states.

An approval memo from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, dated December 20, 2023, titled: 'Mandate for payment grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Lagos and Ogun States' respectively read: "I hereby approve the payment for accumulative sum of five hundred and eighty five million, one hundred and eighty nine thousand and five hundred naira (N585,180,500.00). These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope grants for vulnerable groups. “Details provided below: 2023 grant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom State. N219, 429, 750.00; 2023 grant for vulnerable groups in Cross Rivers, N783, 828, 750.00; 2023 grant for vulnerable groups in Lagos State, N219,462,250.00 and grant for vulnerable groups in Ogun State, N72,468,750.00 with total at N585,189,500.00.

"The payment should be made from the National Social Investment office account with account number 0020208461037 to the project's accountant' details listed above as Onyelu Bridget, UBA account."

Reacting to the development yesterday, Special Adviser to the Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, said the leaked memo was the machinations of those he described as disgruntled elements to blackmail the minister.

A statement titled: 'Fund for

Vulnerable Groups in Four States Was Approved and went through Due Process, Oniyelu Bridget is the Project Accountant for GVG', read: "The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation notes with dismay, a memo from the Ministry to the Accountant-General of the Federation approving for payment, of the sum of N585,189,500.00 Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups for four states, which is currently being circulated in the social media.

"It is glaring that the same sponsored disgruntled elements in the past few days have been trying to smear the Minister, Dr. Betta Edu, and stain her integrity because she alerted the federal government to the ongoing N44.8 billion Fraud in NSIPA.

“These elements have been trying to link her to a phantom fraud and are behind this latest misadventure.