Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), has refuted claims of carrying out a payment request from Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Madein clarified that no lump sum was meant to be transferred to an individual’s account under the designation of a Project Accountant.
The AGF responded to a memo that emerged on Friday, revealing Edu’s request for a payment of N585 million to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as the project accountant for the Renewed Hope Grant for vulnerable groups.
In a statement released on Saturday, Bawa Mokwa, the Director of Press in the AGF’s office, quoted Madein as stating that her office does not handle payments for projects executed by ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
“Allocations are released to self-accounting MDAs in line with the budget, and such MDAs are responsible for the implementation of their projects and payments for such projects,” she explained.
“The AGF explained that although her Office received the said request from the Ministry, it did not carry out the payment.
“The Ministry was however advised on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.”
Madein acknowledged receiving the payment request from the Ministry but emphasized that her office did not proceed with the transaction. She highlighted advising the Ministry on the appropriate steps to follow for such payments in alignment with established payment procedures.
The AGF stressed the importance of paying project beneficiaries through verified bank accounts. She affirmed her commitment to maintaining principles of accountability and transparency in public finance management, urging MDAs to consistently adhere to proper procedures when conducting financial transactions.