Egypt's finance minister, Samir Radwan, has responded to the spate of rumours and accusations of corruption in the ministry by issuing a statement, his fifth, urging his employees to use legitimate channels to report any cases of corruption.

Radwan stated that upon his induction to office, he issued his first such directive asking ministry employees to report any documents or information they might have relating to incidents of corruption.

However, Radwan concludes that the overwhelming flood of uncorroborated rumours, gossip and anecdotes that followed this statement directed the ministry’s efforts towards defending itself rather than doing actual business. And so he released his latest directive.

This has also, however, fallen prey to rumours with some describing it as a cover up for corrupt figures in the ministry, namely strongwoman Manal Hussein, a relative of former prime minister Atef Ebeid. Hussein was dismissed from her position as the minister’s advisor last week.