Emmanuel Ochayi
Labour Party Presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has voiced serious concerns regarding suspected fraudulent activities within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Obi’s comment follows the suspension of Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, over the misappropriation of N585 million designated for palliative distribution in some states.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, expressed his apprehension that the ministry might be operating as a conduit designed to divert public funds, exploiting the plight of the poor as a mere public facade.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Obi conveyed his worry about the ministry possibly serving as a channel for political elites to siphon public funds.
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“The Ministry may have been created by the system as a conduit pipe to siphon public funds while using the poor as a face. Equally worrisome and disgusting is the fact that the missing funds are meant for poverty alleviation in a time of severe suffering among the people,” Obi stated.
Notably, Betta Edu faced severe backlash after being implicated in a N585 million disbursement scandal linked to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
The President took decisive action by promptly suspending the 37-year-old medical doctor, making her the first to be ousted from his 48-man cabinet formed in August.
Edu’s predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, is also under investigation by the EFCC for the alleged laundering of N37.1 billion during her tenure as a minister, highlighting the gravity of concerns raised by Obi regarding the ministry’s integrity.
The alleged fraudulent diversion of public funds, coupled with the short-lived tenure of ministers, raises questions about the effectiveness of the ministry in addressing severe poverty amidst the populace.
READ ALSO: N585m, N37bn Graft: EFCC Releases Betta Edu, Sadiya Umar-Farouq On Bail
Obi’s revelations shed light on a deeper issue of potential systemic misuse of funds meant for poverty alleviation.
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.
