Following rumours making the round that the federal government was considering reinstating the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu after sallah break, a group, Youth Coalition Against Corruption Initiative has kicked against her reinstatement.
TheHintsNews reports that there was outrage when a memo surfaced wherein Edu asked the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein to transfer the sum of N585 million to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, said to be project accountant for the Renewed Hope Grant for vulnerable groups.
The group in a statement issued Tuesday by its Spokesperson, Abdullahi Mas’ud called for the appointment of a substantive minister.
It alleged that the investigation carried out by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was intentionally being swept under the carpet for vested interests to push back the suspended minister into the system.
The group urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stand firm against corruption and its fight back, stressing that corruption is a disincentive to foreign investment, especially of the kind Nigerians are so desirous to have in the country at the moment.
It said: “President Bola Tinubu should discipline Betta Edu for authorising the payment of N585 million into a private account.
“What Dr Edu did was serious procurement and fiscal malfeasance that attracts serious penalties because directing payment of public fund into private account by a public officer is a serious procurement and fiscal malfeasance that attracts serious penalty under extant laws, regulations and rules including the public procurement, Fiscal Responsibility, Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences (ICPC), Code of Conduct Acts and the Anti-money Laundering (prevention and prohibition) Act.
“In as much as we won’t pander to rumours and gossip from Edu’s camp, we sincerely call on the President not to allow corruption to thrive in his administration. Edu should be sacked permanently, another Nigerian with the requisites to manage the office. Reinstating Edu is will amount to a pat on the back of corruption.”
