President Bola Tinubu has made the decision to temporarily remove Dr. Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, from her position in accordance with his stated commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the administration of the Nigerian commonwealth.
The President additionally orders the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out an exhaustive examination of all facets of the financial dealings involving the Federal Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Humanitarian Affairs, along with one or more of its agencies.
The President also directs the suspended Minister to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities during their investigation. The suspended Minister is hereby directed to turn herself over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
In addition, the President has charged a panel led by the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy with performing, among other things, a thorough diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes with the goal of definitively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes in an effort to eradicate all institutional weaknesses solely for the benefit of low-income households and restore the public’s lost faith in the initiative.