The ongoing investigation into activities of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and its Social Investment Programmes is said to be a testament to the declaration that President Bola Tinubu’s administration will maintain a no-tolerance stance towards any form of corruption.
The commitment was reiterated by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, during his appearance on TVC’s “Politics on Sunday.”
According to Ngelale, the Tinubu administration has no ‘sacred cows’ and will not hesitate to take action against anyone found culpable in the investigation.
Having suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, on January 7, Tinubu directed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission 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 thereunder.”
He also tasked a panel headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to, among other functions, “conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes to conclusively reform 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.”
Providing context to the ongoing probe, Ngelale said, “The President has given full instruction to the EFCC chairman to not only conduct a thorough investigation.
“The way the President would direct such an investigation is to say that nobody, no name, should be left out if they are found wanting in the situation. No sacred cows at all.
“Anywhere this investigation takes the EFCC and other investigating authorities. That is where the investigation must go and the President will take action accordingly.”
Edu caught the attention of Nigerians’ after a leaked memo on December 20 revealed that she directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer N585m to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
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