ICPC Absolves Humanitarian Minister Of N2.67bn School Feeding Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has absolved the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social, Sadiya Umar Farouq and the Ministry of the alleged N2.67 billion school feeding fraud which the commission’s chairman revealed on Monday.

The ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, had during the 2nd National Summit on Diminishing Corruption held at the State House, said the Commission traced part of N2.67 billion school feeding funds meant for Federal Government Colleges to some personal accounts.

Owasanoye said the payment was made to the Federal Colleges for school feeding during the lockdown “when the students were not in school.”

The allegation led to a swift reaction by the Minister who dared the ICPC to name the culprits involved in the school feeding programme fraud.

Farouq dissociated herself and her office from any ‘Federal Government Colleges School Feeding’ program or any fraud associated with any programme.

The ICPC issued a fresh statement on Tuesday clarifying its chairman’s statement on Monday and dousing the apprehension and anxiety created by its allegation.

In the new statement signed by its spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, the ICPC said the school feeding referred to was the feeding of boarding students in Federal Government Colleges, who were all at home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The ICPC’s statement reads, “The attention of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has been drawn to some reports making the rounds on a segment of the speech delivered by the ICPC Chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, yesterday, Monday, 28th September 2020 at its 2nd National Submit on Diminishing Corruption in the Public Sector.

“The said reports erroneously implied that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs diverted monies meant for Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

“In the speech, Professor Owasanoye stated inter alia, ‘… we discovered payments to some federal colleges (secondary schools) for school feeding in the sum of N2.67b during the lockdown when the children were not in school, and some of the money ended up in personal accounts. We have commenced investigations into these findings’.

“The Commission wishes to clarify that the ‘school feeding’ referred to by the Chairman of ICPC was the feeding of boarding students in Federal Government Colleges, who were all at home during the COVID-19 lockdown. This is NOT the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme being managed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

“The Commission had discovered through its review of publications on the Open Treasury Portal that statutory monthly allocations meant for the feeding of secondary school students of some Federal Government Colleges were diverted into personal accounts.

“This statement is issued for the purpose of clarifying the statement of the Hon. Chairman. Consequently, the general public is hereby advised to disregard the said reports suggesting a reference to the school feeding programme going on in primary schools.”