Humanitarian ministry as cesspit of corruption; the ways out, by Kola Amzat

In response to the widespread hunger and poverty in the land, the immediate past president created the Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation at the commencement of his second term tenure in office mainly to address the immediate needs of the downtrodden and less-privileged members of Nigerian society.

Technically, the initiative was a creation of circumstance.

Meanwhile, on assumption of office, President Bola Tinubu was magnanimous and very gracious enough not only to retain the ministry, but also to continue with all its elements. 

Instructively till date, the president has empowered the ministry with all resources and supports required to navigate Nigerians through this very turbulent and difficult times.

But, so far, the damning revelations emanating from the ministry eloquently indicates that, after-all, all is not well.

While the Federal Government authority are majorly concern with deploying the ministry as platform to ameliorate the pains and agonies the citizenry are going through in all the nooks and crannies, through deployment of funds of various sums to different households and small business enterprises, the operatives at the ministry even, including the successive ministers have a totally different motive and agenda.

The immediate past minister of the ministry, Hadjia Sadiq Umar has been alleged to have diverted about ₦44 billion through the private account of a named single individual.

Of course, she’s been formally invited for questioning and interrogation, an exercise she’s been making spirit efforts to evade.

While the above ugly revelation is on, news flew into the public domain that National Coordinator, NSIPA, a related Agency under the Humanitarian ministry has been suspended by the president also for diversion of about ₦30 billion through a private account. The EFCC have also invited her for interrogation.

It’s most instructive that the alleged Director General had only been in the office barely three (3) months, having just been appointed into the office in October 2023, by the president.

But, the more damning and most disturbing news Nigerians are grappling and battling with at present is the one that entangled the incumbent Minister of the ministry.   

Dr. Betta Edu was reported to have giving mandate to Accountant General Office to make payment of ₦585 million directly into one of the top officials of the ministry, a mandate professionally and ethically declined by the Accountant General.

Even though, the sum is far lesser than the humongous fortunes diverted by the immediate past minister of the ministry, as well as National Coordinator of NSIPA,   the utmost concern in this circumstance is the recklessness, arrogance and impunity behind the mandate given by the minister to the Accountant General Office to make the payment.

The other challenge is that the incumbent minister is wholly in charge of the ministry and would be superintending on humongous ₦532.5 billion budgeted for the ministry in the 2024 Appropriation Bill and even, those of years ahead.

The incumbent Minister might have been emboldened by the effrontery of her predecessor who was invading the nation’s treasury at will, like a locust without any consequences whatsoever, until now.

According to the minister, the sum of ₦585 million is meant for disbursement to the downtrodden and small business entrepreneurs in South/south states of Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta.

And, as far as the minister is concerned, it MUST be firstly routed to a private account before it finds its way into individual accounts that are meant for.  Creative accounting in session!

The pertinent question here: which accounting philosophy was the minister attempting to invent? Does the minister have other account tenets in mind other than the one globally in practice by International Accounting Standards and even, Local Accounting Standards in the country?  

Of course, Nigerians are oblivious of very many payments that have been similarly made by the new minister before a new payment model that necessitated the Accountant General intervention, by henceforth responsible for payments of all contractual obligations of MDAs.    

With the trend of ugly and very dirty development in the ministry, it has become imperative for the president to revisit the management structure, composition and the architecture of the ministry with a view to refocus, redirect and reposition the ministry for result, operational efficiency, professionalism and ethical standard.

As much as this writer crave and passionately advocate for the involvement of vibrant and resourceful youths at the top echelon of governance, it’s very doubtful if this minister is totally in sync with the 7 point Agenda of President Tinubu as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda.

It won’t be out of place for the president to relieve her of the ministerial appointment if she eventually found culpable after investigation might have been concluded, at least to serve as deterrent to others who may be contemplating to perpetrate similar infraction that, it’s not business as usual. .

It’s obviously too early in the life of this administration to condone this recklessness and fiscal arrogance.

Meanwhile, this writer humbly advise the president to endeavor taking the following steps in order to attract credibility, professionalism and decorum to operational activity of the ministry:

• Federal government should mandate state authority(s) to have similar ministry at state levels. The state authority should henceforth responsible for verification of all beneficiaries of cash payments or business empowerment funds in their states, as identified by the federal authority.   

• Instead of cash payments, all beneficiaries must henceforth receive their payments through their individual accounts in various banks. The fact remains that, he would desires cash benefits or empowerment fund from the humanitarian ministry must endeavor to have a bank account.

• Moving forward, it’s also important to make Chief of Staff Office or Secretary to the Government of the Federation office as a Clearing House for the Minister of Humanitarian & Poverty Alleviation before he/she signs off, of all disbursement of cash or empowerment funds to concerned Nigerians across the country.

• While the process of identifying relevant beneficiary(s) remains solely the responsibility of the Minister of Humanitarian & Poverty Alleviation, with confirmation of the genuineness from the state authority(s), the responsibility of payment to individual accounts rests squarely with the Accountant General of the Federation.

• It’s also important that the president must revisit the composition of the top officials of the ministry, as well as all top new appointees of the new minister with a view to ascertaining their appropriateness and suitability for the roles assigned.

With the above in place, the culture of fiscal discipline, financial decorum, professionalism and ethical standard would gradually sets in into the affairs of the ministry.  

This is the minimum step that must be taken to restore credibility and confidence of Nigerians to the ministry.

Nigerians are already in pain and anguish with the conduct of our public officers in office; no attempt should be made to aggravate their travails. 

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB),

Lagos Based Financial Consultant,

09077509348.