Betta Edu

Betta C. Edu (born October 27,1986[1]) is a Nigerian politician. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health and currently the Cross River State Commissioner for Health and National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.

Dr.
Betta Edu
Commissioner for Health Cross River State
In office
December 2019 – till date
National Women Leader All progressives Congress
In office
March 2022 – till date
Personal details
Born (1986-10-27) 27 October 1986
Ibalebo Abi LGA Cross River State, Nigeria
Political partyAll Progressives Congress (2021–present)
Alma materUniversity of Calabar
OccupationPhysician, Public Health Specialist

Edu is a member of the Presidential Health Reform Committee and the All progressives congress (APC) Reconciliation Committee.[2]

Career

In 2015 Edu was appointed as the special adviser to Governor Benedict Ayade on community and primary health care the youngest in the country. In May 2016, she was appointed pioneer DG of Cross River State Primary Health Care Agency until 2019, when she was appointed Cross River State Commissioner for Health.[3]

In 2020, Betta Edu was chairman of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce. She coordinated the Cross River State COVID-19 Response, and established and coordinated the Emergency Operations Centre for COVID-19 in the state.[4] In August 2020, she emerged as the National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.[5]

As a philanthropist she has support education of some less privileged in her community.[6]

Betta Edu emerged as the youngest national woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2022 after defeating her opponent by 2,662 to 117 votes at the APC National convention [1]

Awards
  • Quintessential Nigeria Woman Award: Excellent Women International (2020)[7][8]
  • Medical Expert of the Year (2020) [9]

Controversies

In 2022, Dr Betta Edu contested to be National Women leader for her party. During her campaign, Dr Betta Edu, faced disqualification in the contest for the national women leader position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to Section 84(12) of the new Nigerian Electoral Act.

Section 84(12) states that: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election. At the time she was contesting, Dr. Edu claimed to have resigned her office as the Commissioner for Health in Cross River state of Nigeria. [10]

During COVID in 2020, Dr Betta Edu, as Commissioner for Health, Cross River State was accused of posting fake photos of ventilators. [11] The Cross River state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association also withdrew its services in hospitals across the state and passed a vote of no confidence on the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, over the alleged unethical handling of COVID-19 crisis. [12]

Dr Edu claims the vote of no confidence was political.[13]



References
  1. "Betta Edu emerges youngest APC national women leader". Punch Newspapers. 2022-03-27. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
  2. "Dr Betta Edu emerges as the National Chairman of Nigeria Commissioners for Health Forum". Vanguard News. 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  3. Admin (2015-12-26). "Gov Ben Ayade Breaks Record Again, Appoints Youngest Special Adviser In Nigeria". calitown. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  4. Abang, Mike (2021-12-14). "Cross River has best COVID-19 response in Nigeria - Commissioner". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
  5. "Dr Betta Edu emerges as National Chairman of Nigeria Commissioners for Health Forum | The Paradise News". theparadise.ng. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
  6. "Ayade's Commissioner 'Betta Edu' pays fees, other levies for 738 pupils in Adadama". Vanguard News. 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  7. "Federal Ministry of Women Affairs Honors Dr. Betta Edu with award of excellence". Vanguard News. 2020-07-25. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  8. "Cross River Health Commissioner, Betta Edu, to receive Award of Excellence". Premium Times. 2020-07-25. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  9. "Cross River Health Commissioner, Betta Edu wins 2020 'medical expert of the Year' award". Vanguard News. 2020-11-07. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  10. "Sources: Betta Edu faces disqualification from APC convention over section 84(12)". The Cable. 2020-05-25. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  11. "COVID-19: Why There Are No Ventilators At Isolation Center – Betta Edu". Vanguard News. 2020-03-27. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  12. "CROSS RIVER NMA WITHDRAWS SERVICES OVER STATE'S COVID-19 HANDLING". Medical World Nigeria. 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  13. "NMA Can't Pass Vote Of No Confidence On Me, C'River Commissioner". Today's News Now. 2020-05-25. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
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