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Betta Edu

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Betta Edu
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation
In office
21 August 2023
on suspension since 8 January 2024 – 23 October 2024
Preceded bySadiya Umar Farouq
National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress
In office
March 2022 – August 2023
Cross River State Commissioner for Health
In office
December 2019 – March 2022
Personal details
Born
Betta Chimaobim Eke

(1986-10-27) 27 October 1986 (age 38)
Lagos, Nigeria
Political partyAll Progressives Congress (2021–present)
Alma materUniversity of Calabar[citation needed]
OccupationPolitician
Websitewww.bettaedu.ng

Betta Chimaobim Edu (born 27 October 1986)[1] is a Nigerian medical doctor turned politician. She served as national women leader of All Progressive Congress.[2] She was Cross River State Commissioner for Health until her resignation in 2022.[3] She was also National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.[4][5][6]

Education

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She completed her secondary education in 2001 at the Federal Government Girls College, Calabar and obtained her first degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar in 2009. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health for Developing Countries from London School Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, a master's degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Doctor of Public Health from Texila American University.[7][8]

Career

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In 2015, Edu became the youngest person to be appointed Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Cross River State Benedict Ayade on Community and Primary Healthcare.[9]

In 2020, she became chairman of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce.[10] In August that year, she was appointed National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.[11] Edu is a Fellow of the Royal School of Public Health in and the African Institute of Public Health Professionals.[12] Betta Edu became the youngest national woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2022.[1]

In July 2023, the state Women Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across all 36 states in Nigeria including that of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) passed a vote of confidence on Betta Edu. They did this during their visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.[13][14]

Also in July 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Maryam Babangida National Center For Women Development Headed by DG Asabe Vilita Bashir, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development awarded Betta Edu the Award of Excellence in Leadership for gender inclusion and women empowerment. This is in recognition of her commitment to championing the cause of empowering women, children, and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.[15][16] In July 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Betta Edu for minister as the Nigerian senate unveiled the 28 nominees for ministerial appointment.[17][18] Making her the first female minister from Cross River State and the youngest minister at the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria in the Fourth Nigerian republic.[19][20]

In August 2023, Betta was sworn in as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation and the All progressives congress replaced her as National women leader.[21][22][23]

Controversies

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₦585 million fraud

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In 2020, Edu was accused of posting fake photos of ventilators.[24] The Cross River state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association passed a vote of no confidence on Edu over accusations of professional misconduct in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] Edu claims the vote of no confidence was political.[26] In 2022, during her campaign to become National Women Leader of the APC, Edu was accused of procedural misconduct.[3]

On 8 January 2024, she was suspended from her position as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allegedly diverting ₦585 million in ministry funds to a personal bank account.[27][28] President Tinubu asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a thorough investigation.[29]

The investigation that followed suggested a theft of public funds many times larger. In April 2024, the EFCC's chair, Olanipekun Olukayode, wrote, "As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into." The approximate average amount in each of Edu's bank accounts that the EFCC had by then traced and seized seems to have been about ₦600 million, for a total, across her 50 or more accounts, of some ₦30 billion. According to a BBC publication the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had recovered an equivalent of $24million from accounts allegedly linked to Edu. As of the EFCC's April 2024 update, Edu has not been legally charged or fired from her position.[30]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Betta Edu emerges youngest APC national women leader". Punch Newspapers. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Betta Edu emerges youngest APC national women leader". 27 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Sources: Betta Edu faces disqualification from APC convention over section 84(2)". TheCable. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Dr Betta Edu emerges as the National Chairman of Nigeria Commissioners for Health Forum". Vanguard Nigera. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Ekiti Health Commissioner Rallies Colleagues against Brain Drain - THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Health commissioners hold forum on primary health care funding". Businessday NG. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Profile of Wike, El-Rufai, Umahi, Betta Edu and odas wey make Tinubu ministerial list". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Tinubu Appoints 36-Year-Old Harvard Certified Betta Edu, Others As Ministers – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Gov Ben Ayade Breaks Record Again, Appoints Youngest Special Adviser In Nigeria". calitown. 26 December 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  10. ^ Abang, Mike (14 December 2021). "Cross River has best COVID-19 response in Nigeria - Commissioner". Businessday NG. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Dr Betta Edu emerges as National Chairman of Nigeria Commissioners for Health Forum | The Paradise News". theparadise.ng. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Betta Edu, others emerge Fellow African Institute of Public Health in Cairo Egypt". Vanguard Nigeria. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  13. ^ Cyril (14 July 2023). "36 Women Leaders Pass "Vote of Confidence" on APC National Women Leader". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  14. ^ Online, Tribune (14 July 2023). "Members pass 'vote of confidence' on APC national women leader". Tribune Online. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  15. ^ Oyoyo, Igho (19 July 2023). "APC National Women Leader, Betta Edu, Honoured With MBNCWD Merit Award". Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  16. ^ "FG honours APC National Women Leader, Edu with merit award". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Wike, El-Rufai, Umahi, Alake, odas make Tinubu ministerial list". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  18. ^ Omogbolagun, Tope (27 July 2023). "FULL LIST: Senate unveils Tinubu's 28 ministerial nominees". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  19. ^ Cyril (27 July 2023). "Dr. Betta Edu emerges first female Minister from Cross River and Youngest Minister in Nigeria". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Tinubu appoints youngest minister in fourth Republic, 36-year-old Dr Betta Edu | ThisNigeria". thisnigeria.com. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Humanitarian Minister assumes office, reassures Nigerians speedy results". Tribune Online. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Wale Edun, Keyamo, Betta Edu take oath of office as ministers". TheCable. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  23. ^ Folorunsho-Francis, Adebayo (23 August 2023). "APC NWC replaces Kyari, Betta Edu with Dalori, Idele". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  24. ^ "COVID-19: Why There Are No Ventilators At Isolation Center - Betta Edu". CrossRiverWatch. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  25. ^ "CROSS RIVER NMA WITHDRAWS SERVICES OVER STATE'S COVID-19 HANDLING". Medical World Nigeria. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  26. ^ "NMA Can't Pass Vote Of No Confidence On Me, C'River Commissioner". Today's News Now. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  27. ^ Tolu-Kolawole, Deborah (8 January 2024). "BREAKING: Tinubu suspends Betta Edu over N585m scandal". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  28. ^ Okafor, Chiamaka (8 January 2024). "BREAKING: Humanitarian Ministry Scandal: Tinubu suspends Betta Edu". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Betta Edu: Nigerian poverty minister suspended over money in personal bank account". BBC News. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Betta Edu probe: Nigeria recovers $24m in poverty minister investigation - EFCC". BBC News. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  31. ^ "Federal Ministry of Women Affairs Honors Dr. Betta Edu with award of excellence". Vanguard News. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  32. ^ "Cross River Health Commissioner, Betta Edu, to receive Award of Excellence". Premium Times. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  33. ^ "Youth Day: National Youth Council of Nigeria Says Dr Betta Edu is "Hero Of COVID-19."". Vanguard Nigeria. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  34. ^ "Cross River Health Commissioner, Betta Edu wins 2020 'medical expert of the Year' award". Vanguard News. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  35. ^ "FG Honours Edu With Excellence In Gender Inclusion Award – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". 19 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
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