Facts emerged on Monday that the N3billion siphoned fund withdrew for the controversial verification of National Social Register, NSR, purportedly conducted by 12 companies was meant for 100,000 poor and vulnerable Families to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.
The approval of the N3 billion misappropriated fund, according to a leaked document seen by our Correspondent, was conveyed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila through a letter addressed to the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu.
Mr. Gbajabiamila in the recent leaked letter with Ref. No: SH/COS/45/A/220 dated 18th September, 2023 was signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, conveyed the approval of Mr. President to the suspended Minister to utilize the N3 billion COVID-19 palliative fund.
SEE DOCUMENT BELOW 👇
However, in the previous leaked document which exposed the illegal transactions, the sum of
N3,077,047,309.46 was paid to the 12 Companies that benefitted from the largesse for verification of NSR.
Detail of the discrepancies is yet to be ascertained by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is currently interrogating the suspended Minister and some of her Aides allegedly involved in the transactions.
According to search made by this newspaper, the purported approval for the utilisation of the N3 billion was carried out before the confirmation of the suspended National Coordinator of National Social Investment Programme Agency, NSIPA, Hajia Halima Shehu.
This worrisome development, according to Analysts, suggest that series of transactions might have been carried out in the Agency through same illegal channel.
One of the top functionaries at the Ministry who spoke under condition of anonymity disclosed that the N3 billion which was diverted by Betta Edu, the Chief of Staff and other beneficiaries, was initially earmarked to empower 100,000 households across the country.
He further lamented that the total amount expenses on the computation and other expenses incurred on the National Social Register over the past seven years was not up to half of the N3 billion allegedly spent on the 12 companies for the controversial verification exercise.
According to analysis conducted by our Correspondent, the N3 billion approved for the purported verification exercise can build 1,000 units of standard houses at the sum of N3 million each.
It could also pay N30,000 minimum wage for 100,000 unemployed Nigerians across the country.
The new development, Analysts opined might be a confirmation of a report making round that whooping sum of N14.8 billion have allegedly been withdrawn by the suspended Minister from the NSIPA’s coffer so far, before the appointment of Hajia Halima Shehu as NSIPA’s National Coordinator/CEO.
The leaked document on the N3 billion purportedly approved by the President, is coming barely six days after the suspended Minister reportedly threatened to “fight back”, following the unpleasant treatment meted to her over the controversial payment of N585,189,500 into private accounts of Mrs. Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola with UBA Account No: 2003672151.
Breakdown of the N585,188,500 which was approved for 2023 Grant for the Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom State, Cross River State, Lagos State and Ogun State, respectively, showed that the sums of N219,429,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for the Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom State; N73,828,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for the Vulnerable Groups in Cross River State; N219,429,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for the Vulnerable Groups in Lagos State while N72,468,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for the Vulnerable Groups in Ogun State.
Other leaked documents further showed that the sums of N81,390,750 also paid into private account of one Toluhi Martins with FCMB account No: 0408279025 for the flag-off of the disbursement under the Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) in Owerri, Imo State.
Another leaked documents also revealed that the sums of N72,374,500 paid into the private account of one Toluhi Martins (FCMB Account No: 0408279025) for Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Kogi State and the sum of N72,423,250 paid into the private account of one Divine Sekebo’s private account with Access Bank No: 0097116993 for Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) in Bayelsa State.
While the N3 billion COVID-19 Palliative Fund was initially meant to be distributed to 100,000 poor and vulnerable Families across the country to cushion the effect of the pandemic, the whooping sum of N14.8 billion allegedly withdrawn so far by the suspended Minister through various cronies would have impacted on about 500,000 poor and vulnerable Families languishing in multi-dimensional poverty and humanitarian crises.
