Startling revelations have begun to emerge on how the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation allegedly granted approval for payment of air tickets to some staff of her ministry and aides for flight to a destination that has no airport.
Betta Edu approved funds for flight tickets and airport taxis for the ministry’s staff to Kogi — a state with no airport, TheCable reports
The approval is reportedly contained in a leaked internal memo dated November 6, 2023
The memo issued by the national programme manager, requesting the total sum of N72,374,500, was titled: ‘The Disbursement Under the 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups Programmes in Kogi State, 2023’, and was approved by the minister.
In the memo, the sum is appropriated for the minister’s “advanced team” to travel by air for an “event” in Kogi. However, the state has no airport.
Each of the minister’s “advanced team” members, including aides, received the sum of N200,000 for flight tickets, N20,000 for airport taxi, and local running expenses and DTA depending on grade level — all amounting to N72,374,500.
The sum of N300, 000 was earmarked for the minister’s air ticket.
In November 2020, Yahaya Bello, Kogi governor, met with then-President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock, seeking the establishment of an airport in the state.
Bello, who spoke with journalists after the meeting, said he asked Buhari to ensure that Kogi got funds for the airport.
“I paid a visit to the president to brief him about the confluence state; the development and challenges we are facing and also to convey a message from the people of Kogi State that the social bond between the government and the governed is still very strong,” the governor had said.
