Emmanuel Ochayi
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation witnessed a swift change in leadership as Olumuyiwa Enitan, the Permanent Secretary, took charge following President Bola Tinubu’s directive, ousting Betta Edu from the ministerial position.
This decision came on the heels of widespread outrage over the approval of a N585 million payment into a private account by the now-suspended minister.
“The Permanent Secretary has taken over the affairs of the ministry based on the directive of Mr. President. He officially got the letter to assume duty on Monday night,” disclosed a senior official from the ministry, requesting anonymity due to a lack of authorization.
Despite the public announcement, it was revealed that Enitan awaited formal authorization from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation before assuming responsibilities.
The seamless transition of power occurred when an official from the said office handed over the directive letter to Enitan on Monday night.
Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed Tinubu’s directive for the suspended minister to “hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.”
Tinubu’s decision also included instructions for the ousted minister to fully cooperate with investigative authorities conducting inquiries into the controversial financial transactions.
READ ALSO: Tinubu Suspends Betta Edu Amid Alleged N585m Scandal
A panel, spearheaded by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, has been tasked with conducting an assessment of the financial structure governing social investment programmes.
The swift and decisive action by the presidency underscores a commitment to transparency and accountability within the ministry while ensuring an uninterrupted focus on addressing humanitarian concerns and poverty alleviation across the nation.
Emmanuel Ochayi is a journalist. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, School of first choice and the nations pride. Emmanuel is keen on exploring writing angles in different areas, including Business, climate change, politics, Education, and others.
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