A memo from President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Betta Edu, has stirred fresh controversy.
In the memo, it was stated that the president authorised release of N3 billion to the now-suspended Minister to verify the National Social Register of the former administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The social registry was established to facilitate cash transfers and other social investment schemes.
Several enterprises received contracts from the N3 billion provided to the suspended minister, a release that has sparked controversy and is being investigated by presidential investigators and anti-graft authorities.
The subject of the document was “CONVEYANCE OF APPROVAL; RE: APPEAL TO USE N3,000,000,000.00 (THREE BILLION NAIRA) FROM THE COVID-19 PALLIATIVE FUND FOR VERIFICATION OF THE NATIONAL SOCIAL REGISTER.”
“The preceding subject refers to. 2. Please be advised that Mr President has approved a N3,000,000,000.00 (Three Billion Naira) expenditure from the Covid-19 Palliative Fund for the verification of the National Social Register. 3. Please appreciate my highest regards. Femi Gbajabiamila, President’s Chief of Staff,” it said.
Remember that numerous companies were named as recipients of this contentious contract. Among them is New Planet Project Limited, owned by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, which received a whopping N438.1 million for consultancy services.
Periscope Consulting received N277 million, Blue Trend Enterprise received N277.8 million, Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services received N277 million, Memak Nigeria Limited received N277 million, MC Van Management Consult Limited received N275.8 million, and Danzinger Nigeria Limited received N275.8 million.
“Other companies that benefited from the N3 billion contracts include Blue Trend Enterprise, which received N277.8 million.
“Blue trend, has no record of being registered and the owner is unknown. Periscope Consulting-N277million. Periscope Consulting, with registration number 1053019, registered on July 24, 2012, is owned by one Ngozi Maureen Ojiego, known for Interior Decoration. Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services Ltd-N277million.
“Laitop with registration number 1340092, is owned by one Quburat Bolanle Bolanta. It was registered on June 6, 2016. Memak Nigeria Limited with no known ownership and date of registration got NN277million.
“MC Van Management Consult Limited with no records of registration also got N275.8million contract while Danzinger Nigeria Limited with registration number 635448, registered on Sep 23, 2005got N275.8million. Danzinger is owned by one Oladapo Rotimi Mohammed.
“All the contractors claimed they verified 11 million homes in Nigeria in under one month,” Ude added on a post on X.
Edu is also accused of authorizing the transfer of N585 million from public funds to a private account belonging to a project manager in her ministry.
Furthermore, despite the lack of an airport, the minister reportedly granted aircraft tickets and airport taxis for her team’s trip to Kogi State.
