₦585,000,000 Fraud Allegation Against Me Untrue – Minister In Charge Of Npower Dr. Betta Edu

The Minister in charge of Npower Dr. Betta Edu, has said the ₦585,000,000 fraud allegation against her is untrue, lacks fact and an alleged attempt by mischief makers to frustrate her ministry’s effort in combating corruption.

According to Npower, the minister in charge of Npower, revealed this in a statement posted on her Facebook page on Saturday 6th January 2024.

The minister in charge of Npower was criticized after a leaked memo went viral that the Minister in charge of Npower Dr. Betta Edu instructed the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, to make payment of ₦585,000,000 to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry in charge of Npower claimed currently holds a position as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups (GVG).

The request for the transfer of fund into the private account Oniyelu Bridget is contained in a leaked memo dated December 20th, 2023.

According to Npower, Dr. Betta Edu (the minister in charge of Npower) on Friday 5th January 2024, said the ₦585,000,000 Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) in four states was authorized and followed due process.

The minister in charge of Npower, Dr. Betta Edu , stated that the allegation is a mere fabrication by her haters who strive to undermine her efforts in her battle against corruption and uplifting the poor, vulnerable and needy from abject poverty.

Dr. Betta Edu the minister in charge of Npower said, “I am writing to address recent news making rounds about alleged fraud within the Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation (the ministry in charge of Npower).

“As the minister, I want to assure Nigerians that these claims are untrue and an attempt to frustrate the efforts we are making to tackle corruption and alleviate poverty.

“In the course of our work, we have encountered opposition from forces whose hands may not be clean, but I want to stress that our commitment to transparency, accountability, and eliminating corruption remains unshaken.

“The challenges we face only strengthen our resolve to serve with integrity and dedication.

“I believe in the power of truth prevailing, and with God as my strength, I am confident that our collaborative efforts will continue to make a positive impact on the lives of the poor and vulnerable. Your trust and support are indispensable as we move through these unwarranted allegations.

Accountant General Of The Federation (AGF) Says ‘Memo Not Appropriate' From Minister In Charge Of Npower Dr. Betta Edu, Says Office Of The Accountant General Of The Federation (OAGF) Does Not Make Payments For Projects

The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr Oluwatoyin Madein, has made it clear that the Office Of The Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), does not make payments on behalf of Ministries, Departments and Agencies for projects and programmes implemented by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

According to Npower, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) in response to a memo sent to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) by Dr. Betta Edu, the Minister in charge of Npower, said the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) failed to make the said payment and rather advised the minister in charge of Npower Dr. Betta Edu on the necessary process to go about it. 

Dr. Betta Edu the Minister in charge of Npower has been in the news few days ago, when a major news publication reported how the Minister in charge of Npower, demanded that ₦585.198 million be transferred into a private account for a said project without following the right process.

Reports have it that Dr. Betta Edu, the Minister in charge of Npower, requested that the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to transfer public funds to a private account belonging to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the Minister in charge of Npower Dr. Betta Edu. 

A letter from the minister in charge of Npower, with reference number: FMHAPA/HQ/OHM/S.208 to the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein dated December 20th, 2023, had requested that over ₦585,000,000 should be sent to a private account. 

The letter signed by the minister in charge of Npower, Dr. Betta Edu, is titled “Mandate for Payment of Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States Respectively.”

But in a recent publication, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) made it clear that the minister in charge of Npower Dr. Betta Edu, made some violations which made the request not to be approved. 

According to Bawa Mokwa, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) Director (Press), the office said, “The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr Oluwatoyin Madein, has made it clear that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) does not make payments on behalf of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for projects and programmes implemented by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) was reacting to media reports concerning a request from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (the ministry in charge of Npower) to pay grants to vulnerable groups in some States of the Federation.

“Dr Oluwatoyin Madein stated that allocations are released to self-accounting Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in line with the budget, and such Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are responsible for the implementation of their projects and payments for such projects.

“In a statement in Abuja, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Dr Oluwatoyin Madein explained that although the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) received the said request from the Ministry in charge of Npower, the office did not carry out the payment. The Ministry in charge of Npower, was, however, advised on the necessary steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.

“The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) said that in such instances, payments are usually processed by the affected Ministries as self-accounting entities and no bulk transfer is supposed to be made to an individual’s private account in the name of Project Accountant.

“Dr Oluwatoyin Madein added that such transfers should be sent to the beneficiaries through their verified bank accounts. Dr Oluwatoyin Madein emphasized her determination to uphold the principles of accountability and transparency in the management of public funds. Dr Oluwatoyin Madein the Accountant General of the Federation advised Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to always ensure that the required processes are taken in carrying out financial transactions.”

Dr. Betta Edu Minister In Charge Of Npower Explains Why She Approved Payment Of ₦585,198,500

According to Npower, the end is yet to be unfolded in the alleged misappropriation of funds in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation the ministry in charge of Npower, as a document has surfaced that the Minister in charge of Npower, Dr. Betta Edu allegedly transfered ₦585,198,500 into a personal account.

According to a document signed by Dr. Betta Edu the minister in charge of Npower, that has now gone viral all over the cyberspace, this document showed how the minister in charge of Npower directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, to transfer ₦585,198,500 to a private account in the person of Oniyelu Bridget.

According to Npower, the viral document also showed that the payment of the ₦585.1 million grant, meant for the poor and vulnerable persons in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states, was made into Oniyelu’s private account.

In response to this development, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister in charge of Npower, Rasheed Zubair said ₦585,198 million payment for the poor and vulnerable groups was approved and followed due process.

The Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister in charge of Npower, Rasheed Zubair stated that the payment of the grant to the private account of Oniyelu Bridget, was because the fellow currently serves as the Project Accountant of Grants for Vulnerable Groups.

The Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister in charge of Npower, Rasheed Zubair explained that the payment of the ₦585,198 million grant was meant for the poor and vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states.

According to the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister in charge of Npower, Rasheed Zubair “For the avoidance, the said ₦585,198 million was approved, and it is meant to implement grants to the poor and vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states."

“We must note that the Grant For Vulnerable Groups (GVG) was first launched in Kogi State, where recipients of this grants testified publicly. Akwa Ibom and Cross River followed in December 2023. Kogi already happened in November, and other states will kick off in the coming weeks."

“The general public is invited to note that the Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups is one of the social intervention schemes of the Federal Government, which the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation the ministry in charge of Npower is implementing."

“Oniyelu Bridget is the Project Accountant for Grants For Vulnerable Groups (GVG) from the Department of Finance, and it is legal in civil service for a staff, the project accountant, to be paid and use the same funds legally and retire the same with all receipts and evidence after the project or programme is concluded."

According to Npower, this lattest development has made Nigerian youths online to raise eyebrows as Nigerian youths wondered why a large amount of the Federal Government’s fund would be paid to an individual’s private account.

A reliable source, gathered that public sector financial regulations of 2009 prohibit the transfer of public funds to the account of a private individual.

Section 713 of the law states, “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account. An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intention.”

Recall that few days ago President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, (the agency in charge of Npower) Ms. Halima Shehu, an agency under Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (the ministry in charge of Npower) headed by Dr. Betta Edu over alleged misappropriation of public funds.

This led to the arrest and interrogation of Ms. Halima Shehu by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦44 billion fraud, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was able to trace and freeze ₦30 billion transfered from the National Social Investment Programme Agency's accounts.

In similar vein, a former Minister of the Ministry in charge of Npower, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, was invited by the the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a financial scandal allegedly carried out through one contractor, in the name of Mr. James Okwete.