Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has stated that God is her strength as she encounters criticism after requesting that funds meant for poor Nigerians be diverted into a private individual account.
Edu, in a recent Facebook post, said she was confronted with corrupt forces working against her mission to help vulnerable Nigerians.
She denied the illegal diversion of funds into private accounts and labelled it as “baseless and an attempt to undermine the efforts she is making to fight corruption and uplift those in need.”
She said: “In the course of our work, we have encountered resistance from forces whose hands may not be clean, but I want to emphasise that our commitment to transparency, accountability, and eradicating corruption remains unwavering. 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 collective efforts will continue to make a positive impact on the lives of the less privileged. Your trust and support are invaluable as we navigate through these unfounded allegations.”
Edu’s leaked memo requesting funds be transferred into a private account has sparked criticisms, with the accountant general, Oluwatoyin Madein, accusing her of circumventing financial regulations.
In a recent statement, Madein, said the Minister flouted financial regulations by requesting that funds be transferred into a private account.
Madein stated that although “her office received the said request from the ministry, it did not carry out the payment. The Ministry was, however, advised on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.”
Recall that it was recently reported Edu wrote the office of the accountant-general last December and demanded that NGN585 million earmarked to reduce poverty of vulnerable citizens in Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Lagos, and Ogun states be paid into the UBA account (2003682151) of Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
