Human rights lawyer and Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, Femi Falana (SAN) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the management of the N-Power programme and the alleged disappearance of N33.75 billion meant for cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians.
Key Highlights:
- Femi Falana urged the EFCC to investigate N33.75bn in missing cash-transfer funds.
- The money was meant for over 3.29 million vulnerable households.
- He also called for an investigation into the management of N-Power.
- Falana demanded recovery of the funds and prosecution of guilty officials.
- He urged stronger monitoring and transparency in poverty-reduction programmes.
Falana also demanded the recovery of the funds and prosecution of any public officials found culpable in the alleged diversion or mismanagement.
He made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, following revelations contained in the auditor-general for the federation’s 2024 annual report on non-compliance/internal control weaknesses in ministries, departments and agencies.
According to the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira, the federal government could not provide sufficient evidence to establish that N33.75 billion allocated for cash transfers to more than 3.29 million vulnerable households reached genuine beneficiaries.
Falana urged the EFCC to liaise with the auditor-general’s office to trace and recover the funds and investigate the circumstances surrounding their alleged diversion.
He said officials found to have participated in the alleged misconduct should be arrested and prosecuted without delay.
The lawyer said the development is particularly troubling given the statutory framework established for the National Social Investment Programme Agency under the National Social Investment Programme Agency Act, 2022.
NSIPA is responsible for implementing several federal government social intervention programmes, including N-Power, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, National Cash Transfer, National Social Safety-Net, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
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Falana alleged that corruption involving public officials had continued to undermine the objectives of the social investment programmes.
He recalled previous investigations involving former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, as well as the suspension of her successor, Betta Edu, and former NSIPA Chief Executive Officer, Halima Shehu, over separate allegations involving public funds.
Falana said the EFCC should conclude its investigations into the cases and make its findings public.
He noted that the federal government has introduced measures requiring beneficiaries to link their profiles with Bank Verification Numbers and National Identification Numbers as part of efforts to eliminate ghost beneficiaries.
However, he said the latest findings by the auditor-general has raised fresh concerns about the accountability and management of social investment funds.
Falana also criticised the proposed deployment of a $3.05 billion development package, supported by the World Bank, towards poverty reduction, human capital development and economic opportunities.
He urged the federal government to establish an independent mechanism involving credible civil society organisations to monitor the disbursement of funds meant for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
The lawyer warned that failure to strengthen accountability and prevent alleged misuse of poverty-reduction funds could put the financing at risk.
He called on the government to ensure greater transparency in the implementation of social intervention programmes and prosecute officials found responsible for any financial wrongdoing.
