The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to launch an investigation into the alleged mismanagement, diversion, or theft of over ₦57 billion in public funds within the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.
In a letter dated November 23, 2024, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization called for immediate action, including involving Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and anti-corruption agencies to ensure accountability. The letter, made available on Sunday, referenced findings from the 2021 audited report released by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
“The allegations amount to stealing from the poor,” SERAP stated. “There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations. These acts represent a violation of public trust, the Nigerian Constitution (1999, as amended), anti-corruption laws, and international obligations.”
According to the report, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation failed to account for ₦54.6 billion intended for stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021. “The funds were not directly paid to beneficiaries, raising concerns that the money may have been diverted,” the Auditor-General noted, demanding recovery of the funds and sanctions for those responsible.
The ministry was also accused of not accounting for ₦2.6 billion allocated for the home-grown school feeding program during COVID-19. SERAP highlighted allegations that “the program was never executed, despite payments being made to contractors for palliatives in Kano, Zamfara, and Abia States.”
Additional concerns included ₦78.3 million reportedly spent on an unapproved COVID-19 survey and ₦400 million meant for stipends to 4,450 independent monitors, which was unaccounted for.
SERAP urged Tinubu to recover missing funds and use them to address Nigeria’s budget deficit. “We also call on your administration to impose a moratorium on borrowing to ease the country’s debt crisis,” the statement added.
SERAP emphasized the need for urgent action, warning, “If no steps are taken within seven days of receiving this letter, we will pursue legal action to compel your government to act in the public interest.”
The organization also referenced an earlier court ruling by Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos, which directed former Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouk to disclose how ₦729 billion reportedly allocated for cash transfers to 24.3 million Nigerians was disbursed. “Justice Dipeolu’s judgment has yet to be enforced,” SERAP lamented.
Reports show that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered over ₦30 billion from the ₦37 billion allegedly laundered under Umar-Farouk’s tenure. Her successor, Betta Edu, has also been linked to irregularities involving over ₦500 million.
SERAP concluded by urging President Tinubu to demonstrate his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability by ensuring that public funds are recovered and those responsible for diversion or theft face the full weight of the law.
