In compliance with President Bola Tinubu’s orders, Olumuyiwa Enitan, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, has assumed the reins of the ministry following the suspension of Betta Edu as minister.
The President suspended Edu on Monday amid growing public discontent triggered by the former humanitarian affairs minister’s authorization of a N585m payment into a private account.
The President’s instruction resulted in the minister receiving a letter mandating the handover of duties to the permanent secretary, who assumed control of the ministry on Monday night.
Workers at the humanitarian ministry revealed that on Wednesday, an official from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation delivered the letter to Enitan.
‘The permanent secretary has taken over the affairs of the ministry based on the directive of Mr President. He officially got the letter to assume duty on Monday night,’ a senior official at the humanitarian ministry, who pleaded not to be named due to a lack of authorisation, stated.
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The official added, ‘He (permanent secretary) needed to get the letter of authorisation from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation before assuming duties, despite the announcement in the media.’
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had stated in a statement on Monday that Tinubu directed the suspended minister to ‘hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.’
The President, in addition to the suspension, directed the minister to wholeheartedly cooperate with the investigating authorities in the course of their investigation.
Tasked with a comprehensive diagnostic of the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programs, the panel, led by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, undertakes its crucial responsibilities.