By Balikis Ajoyo
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the alleged failure to account for N33.75 billion earmarked for cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians.
Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, ASCAB, also urged the anti-graft agency to collaborate with the Auditor-General for the Federation to recover the funds if investigations establish that they were diverted.
His call followed findings contained in the 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.
The report by the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, raised concerns over the Federal Government’s inability to provide sufficient evidence that N33.75 billion in cash transfers actually reached genuine beneficiaries.
According to Falana, the funds were meant for more than 3.29 million vulnerable households under the National Social Investment Programme.
He expressed concern that the alleged discrepancies occurred despite measures introduced by the Federal Government to strengthen beneficiary verification, improve transparency and prevent the inclusion of ghost recipients.
The National Social Investment Programme Agency, NSIPA, was established under the National Social Investment Programme Agency Act 2022 to coordinate major social intervention programmes, including N-Power, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, the National Cash Transfer Programme and the National Social Safety Net Programme.
Falana, however, noted that the agency has faced several allegations of financial impropriety involving some of its officials.
He recalled that former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, was investigated by the EFCC over alleged money laundering involving more than N37.1 billion.
He also cited the suspension of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Betta Edu, following a memo in December 2023 directing the transfer of N585 million in public intervention funds to a private bank account.
Falana further recalled the suspension of the then NSIPA Chief Executive Officer, Halima Shehu, who was questioned over alleged suspicious movement of funds.
The senior lawyer said the latest audit findings should not be ignored, insisting that public funds meant to support vulnerable Nigerians must be properly accounted for.
He therefore urged the EFCC to commence a thorough investigation and work with the Auditor-General to establish what happened to the N33.75 billion and recover any funds found to have been misappropriated.