The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, has taken charge of the affairs of the Ministry following the suspension of the minister, Betta Edu.

This development is in line with the directive issued by President Bola Tinubu, who suspended Edu on Monday over her alleged involvement in a N585 million fraud.

The minister has been accused of paying public funds into private accounts.

Enitan assumed responsibility of the Ministry after a letter to that effect from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was given to him Monday night.

FTN reported that Tinubu, through his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had ordered the suspended minister to “hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation”.

“She is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

“Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes.

“With a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative,” Ngelale had said in a statement.