Not less than 15 Social Intervention programs are currently being affected by the continuous suspension of the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, TheXray can authoritatively report.
The programs which include both old and new ones were part of the effort of the suspended Minister to achieve her Ministry’s mandate. However, TheXray can authoritatively report that only 3 out of this number were yet to officially take off before her unfortunate suspension by the President over six months ago.
In a bid to hit the ground running, in less than one month after her inauguration into the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Dr Betta Edu had appointed people to head some of the Social Intervention programs she met in the Ministry while creating others.
For example, one Olubunmi Bello was appointed as National Program Manager of Community Social Development Agency (CSDP), Richard Romanus was appointed National Program Manager of YESSO 2.0, Anjor Obande, National Program Manager of the School Feeding Program, Dr Akindele Egbuwalo as NPM, Npower program, Thalis Apalowo, NPM Grants for Vulnerable Group(GVG), Dr Ajuluchukwu Michael, NPM Conditional Cash Transfer and Dr Joseph Nkang as National Program Manger of Government Enterprise Empowerment Program (GEEP). Other programs created by the Minister include; Out of School Program, End Hunger Program, Rural Vocational Skills Program, Humanitarian Hubs Program, Code Nigeria, At Risk Children Program, Renewed Hope Shelter for Refugees, poor and internally displaced persons, etc.
Our investigations reveal that though some of the programs which are directly under the National Social Investment Agency (NSIPA) are still under suspension by the President in order to allow for thorough investigation over the alleged financial scandal that had rocked the Agency which led to the suspension of the coordinator, Halima Shehu, only Conditional Cash Transfer program (CCT)out of the four programs under NSIPA seems to have gotten their suspension partially lifted.
A visit to a rented 6 bedroom bungalow located somewhere in Garki 2, our correspondent gathered that the place was rented about a year ago to be used as office space for some of the programs, has been outgrown by weeds and the place dejected. A chat with one of the program Managers who would rather prefer to remain anonymous was a sad and unfortunate tale.
“We are all confused. This is definitely not what we bargained for. While others came back from their Christmas breaks with high hopes and expectations for a good year, it wasn’t the case for my colleagues and I. Personally, the news of my madam’s suspension met me at the aircraft while I was waiting for my turn to disembark after landing Abuja. It was like the end of the world for me. Dr Betta Edu meant well. Her passion and love for this country and the renewed Hope Agenda of this administration was unrivaled. She was in a hurry to justify the huge confidence that was reposed on her by the President, a man she calls ‘DADDY’. Whatever it is, I hope she is given a second chance and reinstated”.
Asked if they have been receiving salaries without working. He said “have you asked me if I have even done documentation? My brother, we were yet to do all of that. Infact, we had thought that madam was going to address all of that the moment we come back from Christmas break. Trust me, it has not been easy with most of us. I pray and hope that this doesn’t end the way the devil has planned it, he concluded.”
Apart from the programs, there is almost nothing happening at the Ministry as the once busy Ministry is now a shadow of its former self.
In the words of a junior staff of the Ministry, “all we do here is, report here in the morning and when it is four, we close. On her impression about the suspended Minister, “That woman was a good woman. It is just that those who didn’t want her to succeed programmed her to fail. However, I believed she has learnt the hard way and I pray she is given another chance. I am praying for her”.