Betta Edu’s Moral Turpitude; Influx Garb of Humanitarian 419 -By Usman Yanmaza

Ever one spare a bit of time to think why does the Humanitarian Ministry since it creation and it agencies during the second tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari being placed under the tutelage of women? The reason isn’t far-fetched from the fact that women are more soft, more prosperous and more pitiable souls than their men counterparts. In contrast to what average people believed in women, Aristotle dragged and said that “Evil women are like poison ; they slowly kill everything good around them.” another one that “An evil woman will seduce you with her words and destroy you with her actions.” yes of course I come to termed that evil women don’t need a reason to hurt or destroy something, they do it simply because they can. Personally, I am seeing good type of sense in what the Aristotle uttered here especially if you can employ theory of how things are going in Nigeria

There was no point in such a trend – wrangle situation lingering as last week, when the news exposed the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Dr. Betta Edu accused of siphoning over N500million meant for social interventions through the ministry to a private pocket of one of her close associate.

The stench of corruption emanating and coming out from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has become too overpowering to ignore. In just the past weeks, two senior officials have been implicated in massive fraud totaling billions of naira meant for the country’s poorest citizens, while in no sooner than a week latter, the now suspended Minister Betta Edu flagrantly circumvented the Financial Act of 2009, section 713 of the law clearly written to states that “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.”

Betta Edu is standing the base of accusation of paying a whopping sum of N585.2 million into the account of one Bridget Oniyelu Mojisola said to be an accountant in charge of the federal government projects to disburse funds meant to ameliorate the condition of the poor people in Ogun, Lagos, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. This was after she allegedly spent about N3 billion on some questionable pro-poor projects that is yet to be duly accounted for.

The uproar generated by this malfeasance was triggered by the report that about N37 billion has been misappropriated under the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajiya Saddiya Umar Farouk who is also standing under the trial of EFCC investigating her book of conduct as regards to her spendings while in office in her last 4 years. Before then one Dr. Halima Shehu the National Coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) is on accuse of transferring huge sums of money worth billions into different accounts.

What astonish me here is how the cycle of the putrid corruption and the personalization of public funds have stirred public resentment and the anger in the country, even though it is understandable because the huge sums being diverted are meant to ameliorate the deplorable conditions of the poor in the country. EFCC has since swung into action and commenced investigation on the gargantuan fraud in the Ministry and the agency where the commission has reportedly recovered over N40 billion allegedly stashed away by these individuals.

President Buhari has solely established the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in 2019 with the ultimate aim of consolidating various social intervention programs and better coordinating poverty reduction efforts, yet, it’s no gainsaying that there is little evidence it has achieved anything beyond providing avenues for corruption. Sadly, in the last three years alone an estimated N2 trillion has been allegedly stolen from that ministry. Ever recalled an instance where Sadiya Farouk once told a stupefied nation that she spent over N500 million to feed school children in over 124,000 households who were at home at the peak of the national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Up to day like this, she could not even provide a discernible template used in disbursing the funds. What is paining me here is that after all these bogus spending in the name of interventions, there is no record that the poverty situation in the country has improved, if not rather, more Nigerians have been plunged into deplorable poverty in the last 4 years.

I am always going with the statistics, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), about 133 million Nigerians are suffering from multi-dimensional poverty in Nigeria, which represents 63% of the country’s nearly 220 million estimated population even as the situation is predicted to get worse according to the World Bank due to the excruciating impact of the petrol subsidy removal.

To use his mighty in halting the brouhaha that thrill the nation, as it was spiralling out of control, President Bola Tinubu demonstrated sincerity in his effort to promote accountability and public trust, he immediately suspended the tumultuous Minister and in no qualm order full investigation in the activities of the pending ministry. Shortly after her suspension, some documents emerged on how the ministry awarded contracts worth over N3 billion under questionable circumstances, i.e one of the companies which benefited from the contract largess is New Planets Projects Limited which Minister of interior Mr. Tunji-Ojo founded. Although the minister said he has resigned from the company as required by law, the open admission that his wife still manages the company raised suspicion of favouritism.

Upon the news of her detrimental move exposed, Betta was reportedly drove her convey to villa in order to have a way to see the President, as the report indicted that she was asked to wait in the guest awaiting room, it take her nearly an hour waiting. While waiting, she was viewing the nearby TV where she saw the report of her suspension in the channels, when it became apparent that she can hardly see President, she went out to drove away but see her security details and convoy to no avail. Her vip access card of villa was seized thereon by the DSS. She was comically reported that one aides of the president helped and voluntarily lift her up to home..

I think people should have caution against politicising the matter, with many urging President Tinubu to give the minister a second chance, considering her poise and competence in steering the programmes of the ministry in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration while others are calling for the scrap of the ministry, I support neither of those baseless reasons. The Humanitarian Affairs Ministry headed by Betta Edu is very strategic and central to the achievement of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

I suggest that President Tinubu shouldn’t scrap the Ministry but a very effective robust and accountable driven policies would be employ in more effective and transparent ways of getting assistance to the millions struggling in poverty. Focuses should be made on job creation and employment opportunities, provision of training, financial support, and other resources to individuals and groups to help them start and grow their own businesses.

What is uppermost in this psyche is the employment of peace driving taciturnity, President Tinubu should be adequately brief on the existential threats of allowing such hurly burley, frivolous and egocentric marauders in his renew hope mantra. He shouldn’t in no qualm resent on individualism, ergotism and materialism without incline of feeling guilty to such exculpating eye-wattering squandermanias. Those moral rot waftlers, wheeler-dealing political cons, morally – compromise, fascistic geriatric heists, the subterranean political profiteers shouldn’t go scot-free.

Those cynicisms and political rogueries with awful record of irresponsibility who openly haggle public purse must sure that they face the wrath of law by paying supreme price of their actions. However, with proper consequences, President Tinubu will be able to address the root causes of the problems, for any minister under the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President to perpetrate such fraud within a short period is seriously disheartening and a betrayal of public trust. Therefore, the Gov’t must ensure that anyone caught, regardless of their affiliation is appropriately punished.

Note ;

President Bola Tinubu upon suspension of the social investment programs, last night established special presidential panel on social investment programs. The panel is on National Social Investment Programs Agency (NSIPA) under it four suspended programs of N-power, Conditional Cash Transfer, GEEP and Home grown feeding program. The earlier duration of suspension is 6 weeks.

The special panel objectives is to ;

– undertake a comprehensive review and audit of existing financial frameworks and policy guidelines of the social investment programs with the view to implementing total re-engineering of the financial architecture of the programs.

– propose detail modification to procedures guiding the programs implementation moving forward.

– usher in a new era of operation based on open and accountable governance frameworks for the exclusive benefit of disadvantage households across Nigeria.

– develop processes to win back public confidence in that vital programs.

Some of the notable members of the panel include ;

Minister of Finance and coordinating Minister of Economy as Chairman .

Minister of Health and social welfare.

Shile Ministers of Budget and Economic Planning, Information and National Orientation, Communication and Digital Economy and that of State Youth are all members.

May Nigeria succeed as a nation state.

Usman Yanmaza is a columnist and prolific writer from Bauchi.