ALLEGED FRAUD: Accountant General faults Edu’s N585 million requests to a private account

State Correspondent

NIGERIA: The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr Oluwatoyin Madein, has said that her office does not directly execute payments for projects and programs undertaken by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

This statement comes in the wake of contentious reports surrounding a request by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to make a N585 million payment to a private account.

The AGF underlined that while allocations are released to MDAs by the budget, these entities bear the sole responsibility for implementing their projects and managing related expenditures.

What the statement says:
A statement by the Director (Press) of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa, read:

“The AGF explained that although her Office received the said request from the Ministry, it did not carry out the payment. The Ministry was however advised on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.
“The AGF noted that in such situations, payments are usually processed by the affected Ministries as self-accounting entities, and no bulk payment is supposed to be made to an individual’s account in the name of Project Accountant.
“She added that such payment should be sent to the beneficiaries through their verified bank accounts.
“Dr Madein reiterated her determination to uphold the principles of accountability and transparency in the management of public finances. She advised MDAs to always ensure that the requisite steps are taken in carrying out financial transactions. “

The controversy surrounding the transfer of N585 million of public funds into a private account involves Betta Edu, Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.

The controversy gained traction when the letter requesting the fund transfer surfaced on social media.

According to a news report, Betta Edu requested the Accountant-General to transfer N585 million to a private account belonging to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as the project accountant for the Renewed Hope Grant for vulnerable groups.

This request was made in a letter, with Edu stating that the funds were intended for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos, and Ogun States.

In defense of her actions, Edu confirmed that she requested the Accountant-General to send public funds to a private account.

She argued that the payment followed due process and was intended to implement grants for vulnerable groups in the mentioned states.

Edu’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Zubair, emphasized that the grant followed due process, and Oniyelu Bridget was legally the Project Accountant for the grant from the Department of Finance.

Edu rebuffed allegations of misconduct, describing them as baseless and a sponsored attempt to tarnish her reputation​​​.

Madein, in her statement from Abuja, acknowledged receiving Edu’s request but clarified that the AGF’s office did not execute the payment.

She advised the Ministry on adhering to established payment procedures, emphasizing that payments should typically be processed by the concerned Ministries as self-accounting entities.

She further noted that bulk payments should not be made to an individual’s account under the guise of a Project Accountant, advocating for direct transfers to beneficiaries’ verified bank accounts.

Madein reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to upholding transparency and accountability in public finance management.

She urged MDAs to adhere strictly to prescribed financial transaction protocols, ensuring that all steps are duly followed in the handling of public funds.

Source: Nairametrics