President Bola Tinubu has discontinued all programmes run by the National Social Investment Programme Agency, NSIPA, for six weeks because of the fraud allegations against Betta Edu, the embattled Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The spokesperson of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen said in a press statement on Friday that the suspension was to allow for ongoing investigations into the allegation of malfeasance in the agency and its programmes.
The break affects the N- N-Power programme, conditional cash transfer programme, government enterprise and empowerment programme and the homegrown school feeding programme.
“During the period of this suspension, all NSIPA-related activities, including but not limited to all distributions, events, payments, collaborations and registrations are now frozen,” the statement said.
NSIPA has been under probe since the President sacked Halima Shehu as the agency’s chief executive officer.
Shehu was suspended over the ongoing investigation into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, under the past Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Sadiya Umar-Farouq.
Earlier this week, Farouq’s successor, Betta Edu, was also fired by the President for corruption allegations.
Imohiosen said President Tinubu is concerned about the “operational lapses and improprieties surrounding payments to the programmes’ beneficiaries” and has set up a ministerial panel to “conduct a thorough review of the agency’s operations with a view to recommending necessary reforms of the NSIPA.”
- Senate Backs Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers - May 10, 2024
- House of Reps Hit Pause on CBN’s Cybersecurity Levy - May 10, 2024
- Gunmen Storm Kogi University, Abduct Students - May 10, 2024
