There is a new twist to the suspension, arrest and investigation of the immediate past Co-ordinator /Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Agency (NSIPA), Ms Halima Shehu, as a group on Wednesday asked the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to also order investigation of his Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu over the alleged financial sleaze in the agency.
A group in the main opposition party,
PDP Forever Initiative, made the demand at a news conference in Abuja.
The erstwhile National Coordinator of the NSIPA was suspended on Tuesday and has been under interrogation by the anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).
Sheu has since been replaced by
Akindele Egbuwalo, the national N-Power programme manager, in acting capacity.
Addressing journalists, President of the PDP group, Comrade Obande Gideon Obande, called on “President Tinubu to quickly intervene and address Nigerians if truly there is a missing fund and how the funds got missing. Investigation will reveal the real culprits who are stealing or trying to steal public funds.”
The group also queried her replacement by Mr. Egbuwalo as it claimed that her replacement should have been a senior civil servant from the Northern part of the country. The PDP group further insisted on investigation of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
“It is also very undeserving that Mr President would approve a suspension of his appointee without investigation or setting up an investigative panel to unravel the allegations that must have led to the suspension.
“However, information at our disposal revealed that the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation may have questions to answer as Ms Halima had worked with her for three years when she was the APC National Woman Leader and possibly influenced her appointment at NSIPA. What must have gone wrong?
“As opposition coalition, we raised alarm toward the end of 2023 that the Honourable Minister Betta Edu may have connived with some highly placed persons to undermine the Tinubu’s administration of Renewed Hope Agenda which was evident in the manner fictitious names were being enrolled in the National Social Register and shortchanged Nigerians who are to be the direct Beneficiary of the Social Investment Programme.
“Today, the Honourable Minister is enjoying her holiday while the National Co-ordinator and CEO of NSIPA is being sacrificed. If the government is sincere, the Honourable Minister should have been suspended alongside the National Co-ordinator and CEO of NSIPA to pave the way for effective investigation.
“Because we are aware that there have been direct dealings of the Minister with the coordinators instead of reporting to the National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer of NSIPA, they report directly to the Minister, thereby neglecting the people of Nigeria.
“Let it be on record, that once government is formed, it is the responsibility of all Nigerians irrespective of political affiliations, it is of our interest as Nigerians to set the record straight especially now that the federal government is derailing.
“We are aware that the Federal Government is not ready to address some critical issues raised by Nigerians like the ongoing debate on the Bogus 28 trillion Naira 2024 budget and its realization, the expansion of the National Social Register which the Minister of Humanitarian is handling unilaterally without due process and the availability of the application form to deserving Nigerians.”
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