Rasheed Zubair, media aide to Betta Edu, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, says there is an attempt to smear his principal’s name with the leaked memo instructing transfer of N585 million.
Zubair is reacting to a leaked letter in which Edu asked Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, accountant-general of the federation, to transfer N585 million to the bank account of an individual.
In the letter, Edu instructed the accountant-general to transfer N585,189,500 to the UBA account of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
The minister said the funds are meant to be grants for “vulnerable groups”.
However, Zubair said there has been moves by some individuals to discredit the minister.
“It is glaring that the same sponsored disgruntled elements in the past few days have been trying to smear the Honourable Minister, Dr Betta Edu, and stain her integrity because she alerted the Federal Government to the ongoing N44.8 billion fraud in NSIPA,” he said in a statement on Friday.
“These elements have been trying to link her to a phantom fraud and are behind this latest misadventure.
“However, this latest vile effort of theirs is another infantile blackmail doomed for evisceration.
“For the avoidance of doubts, the said N585,198,500.00 was approved, and it is meant for the implementation of Grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states.
“We must, however, note that GVG was first launched in Kogi state where recipients testified.
“Akwa Ibom and Cross River were launched in December 2023, Kogi already happened in November, and others will be launched 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 is being implemented by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
“Oniyelu Bridget is the Project Accountant for 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 project or Program is completed.
“The evil motive of the mischief-makers behind the circulation of the memo is well-known and should be ignored.”
Zubair said the minister is working to ensure that she delivers on her mandate.
(TheCable)