Betta-Gate: How Tactless PR Stunt Nailed Humanitarian Affairs Minister

By Kabir AbdulSalam

Nigeria’s humanitarian sector is not in a good condition at the moment. Hit by corruption scandals perpetrated by two former Ministers, the sector yearns for succour.

One of them, Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation was recently suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over a N585 million disbursement fraud. She was appointed as a member of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, barely six months ago.

Attempts by Edu and her media aide, Rasheed Zubair, to defend her action only exacerbated the scandal. Their PR strategy has been plagued by blunders, including Zubair’s own missteps in responding to the allegations. The public perception of Edu’s reputation has suffered as a result.

The gravity of the Betta-Gate N585 million scandal reverberated far beyond the walls of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry. It attracted intense scrutiny from opposition parties, legal luminaries, civil society groups, and a plethora of watchdog groups, who all demanded a thorough and transparent investigation.

Zubair’s disastrous response, by ignoring public sentiment, offering confusing explanations, resorting to personal attacks, and employing poor crisis communication, effectively poured gasoline on the fire of public outrage.

Let’s dissect these missteps in detail to understand their impact and pave the way for a potential path to redemption.

Blunder #1: Ignoring Public Sentiment:

Instead of acknowledging the gravity of the situation and addressing public concerns about transparency and accountability, Zubair’s initial response, on behalf of Minister Edu, was defensive and dismissive.

This tone deafness only amplified public anger and fueled perceptions of a cover-up.

Blunder #2: Confusing Explanations:

The convoluted justifications for the payment, bouncing between claims of legitimacy and “unforeseen errors,” sowed further doubt and confusion.

This inconsistency eroded trust and left more questions unanswered than resolved.

Blunder #3: Personal Attacks and Shifting Blame:

Rather than engaging in constructive dialogue, the defense resorted to personal attacks and attempted to shift blame, raising serious questions about leadership accountability and further fueling public skepticism.

Blunder #4: Poor Crisis Communication:

The delayed and reactive approach to the scandal allowed public anger to fester and narratives to solidify.

Limited communication channels and a lack of open engagement left the Minister desperately playing catch-up in a PR nightmare.

These blunders highlight the importance of understanding public sentiment, communicating clearly and consistently, taking responsibility, and employing effective crisis communication strategies.

The Minister and her team stand at a crossroads. By acknowledging their missteps and embracing a drastic shift in PR strategy, they can potentially navigate this crisis and rebuild public trust.

Here are some crucial steps they can take:

Transparency and Accountability:

Release all relevant documents: Openness and transparency are paramount. Publish all documents pertaining to the transaction, including contracts, approvals, and communication logs.

This will demonstrate a commitment to truthfulness and allow independent scrutiny.

Independent investigation: Appoint a team of independent auditors and forensic experts to conduct a thorough investigation. Choosing external professionals ensures impartiality and builds public confidence in the process.

Empathy and Public Recognition:

Acknowledge the situation: Publicly acknowledge the gravity of the situation and express sincere apologies for the breach of trust. This takes humility and courage, but is essential to show genuine remorse and open the door to forgiveness.

Emphasize empathy: Demonstrate empathy for the public’s concerns about corruption and misuse of funds. Show understanding of the anger and frustration felt by citizens and acknowledge the impact such actions have on trust in government.

Reset Media Relations Engagement:

Proactive engagement: Engage proactively with media outlets, providing regular updates and clear explanations. Hold press conferences, answer questions honestly and transparently, and be open to critical inquiries.

Building trust with the media is crucial for shaping public perception.

Focus on Beneficiaries:

Shift the narrative: Shift the narrative towards the intended beneficiaries of the program and how their needs will be met. Highlight the positive impact the program was intended to have and the measures being taken to ensure it fulfills its purpose.

Rectify and improve: Outline concrete steps being taken to rectify any misuse of funds and ensure proper program implementation.

Demonstrate a commitment to learning from mistakes and improving systems to prevent future incidents.

The Road Forward:

The roadmap outlined above provides a path forward to rebuild public confidence and restore faith in the Minister and the government.

However, it is important to note that not every crisis ends favorably for the individual involved. While the aftermath of a scandal can damage one’s reputation, regaining public trust and salvaging one’s reputation after a major crisis requires genuine commitment to transparency, accountability, and empathy.

Kabir is the Senior Staff Writer with of PRNigeria and Spokespersons’digest, and wrote in via: [email protected]