Rasheed Zubair, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, stated that the transfer of N585,189,500.00 into a personal account adhered to current civil service regulations and is legally permissible.
In a widely circulated document that she personally signed and sent to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Edu requested that the money be paid to the personal account of Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
The document additionally demonstrated that N585.198 million, the award intended for vulnerable communities in the states of Lagos, Ogun, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom, was deposited into Oniyelu’s account.
The responses of Nigerians on social media have been divided, with many urging the minister’s resignation.
In a statement released on Friday, Zubair responded to the leaked document by stating that the vulnerable group’s payment was made in accordance with the law.
Zubair claimed that the reason the award was paid to Bridget’s account was because the fellow is presently the Project Accountant for Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
He said: “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 attention to the ongoing N44.8 Billion fraud in NSIPA.
“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, the said N585m was approved, and it is meant to implement grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states.
“We must 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 the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is implementing.
“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 the project or programme is completed.”
