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Tag: Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye

  • Just in: EFCC grills ex-Tinubu’s minister over alleged N138m scam

    Just in: EFCC grills ex-Tinubu’s minister over alleged N138m scam

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has quizzed a ex- Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye for her alleged roles in the mismanagement of N138million.

    The former Minister was one of those fired recently by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    She was alleged to have violated procurement process and diverted public funds of about N138million in the course of disbursing the 2023 budgeted funds for the Ministry.

    She arrived in the anti-graft commission headquarters around 11:00 am and was still facing interrogators on her alleged involvement in the fraud as at the time this story was filed.

  • Actor Ugezu Ugezu kicks against sack of Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye as women affairs minister

    Actor Ugezu Ugezu kicks against sack of Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye as women affairs minister

    Nollywood actor Ugezu Ugezu has reacted to the removal of Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye as the Minister of Women Affairs by President Bola Tinubu.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Kennedy-Ohanenye was one of five ministers discharged by President Tinubu on Wednesday, October 23.

    Others included Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth Development), Tahir Mamman (Education), and Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo (Housing and Urban Development).

    Reacting via his Instagram page on Friday night, Ugezu noted that the discharged minister was amongst those in the president’s cabinet who worked assiduously for the citizens.

    He further stressed that Kennedy-Ohanenye’s sack depicts how unready our leaders are for a realistic change.

    His post reads: “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who promised the citizens RENEWED HOPE, sacks the Minister who worked assiduously for the citizens to feel a sense of renewed hope. It tells us something….. the leaders of the country are not ready for a realistic change.

    “Things like this tend to discourage the people who genuinely want to transform the country by transforming the various departments. Corruption thrives.”

  • Things were bad before Mr President took office – Tinubu’s minister tells Nigerians

    Things were bad before Mr President took office – Tinubu’s minister tells Nigerians

    Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, has pleaded with Nigerians to exercise patience towards President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as his administration addresses the nation’s challenges.

    Ohanenye, during a charitable event held in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, acknowledged the difficulties many Nigerians are currently experiencing but emphasized that the government’s efforts to improve the situation would take time.

    The Minister, who distributed palliatives such as 5,000 bags of 10 kg rice, 300 gas cylinders, and 500 bags of 50 kg fertilizers to support the less privileged in the community, expressed confidence in Tinubu’s leadership and commitment to transforming the country for the better.

    The Minister stated, “I plead with you to be patient with the president. He is doing everything to change the negative practices that have crippled the nation’s economy. Just give the president time; in the next few months, things will begin to improve.

    “He needs time to clean up the mess left by previous administrations. Honestly, things were bad before President Tinubu took office, and he is working hard to bring happiness to Nigerians.”

    Ohanenye mentioned that the present administration so far, has introduced numerous social security initiatives aimed at uplifting Nigerians, especially people with low incomes.

    She encouraged individuals to submit their BVN so the government can plan and provide assistance to the less privileged.

    “The BVN helps the government identify those who qualify for federal social security palliatives. The aid is meant for the poor, not the rich, who have cornered these resources over the years,” she added.

  • FG draws battle line against State govts over empowerment programme

    FG draws battle line against State govts over empowerment programme

    Women Affairs Minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has threatened to take legal actions against States, and retrieve machines distributed by the Federal Government for women empowerment, if not put to use.

    The Minister issued the threat on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing Commissioners for Women Affairs in the 36 states at the opening ceremony of a two-day capacity building workshop.

    The workshop aimed to enhance leadership and management competencies to enable effective team leadership and strategic decision-making.

    It was organised by the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development in collaboration with UN Women and the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria.

    Kennedy-Ohanenye said that the machines were distributed by the Federal Government to promote entrepreneurship and socio-economic development of women.

    At a media conference in April, Kennedy-Ohanenye listed some of the equipment distributed to include industrial sewing machines and accessories, rice milling machines, garri processing machines and fish grilling equipment.

    Other items included industrial button hole holding machines, heavy industrial irons, tapping machines, Steam Pressing machines, sewing machines for stretches and stitches, Cloth cutting machines, fish smoking machines as well as fish rearing buckets.

    “It is unfortunate that, up till date, I have not received videos of these machines being used, which is the main reason they were given to Nigerians.

    “You know in Nigeria, it is common, any idea that comes, people gather and kill it. That is why we have a lot of abandoned projects, abandoned machines, and abandoned vehicles.

    “We don’t want to maintain them and we don’t want them to work.

    “I want to officially announce today that the following states have received empowerment sewing machines: Anambra, Kano, Rivers, Imo, Lagos, Oyo, Katsina, Gombe and Kebbi.

    Others are Adamawa, Ebonyi, Niger, Bayelsa, Benue, Jigawa and the FCT.

    She warned that if the machines were not operational within a month, by September 13, she would take legal action against the states.

    “I will retrieve the machines and take them to people who need them.

    “It is unacceptable to leave equipment idle while people suffer. This has been holding women back, and we won’t set a bad example,” she said.

    The minister noted that commissioners for women affairs in the listed states had yet to identify operational co-operative societies to receive the machines.

    However, she commended Benue for promptly distributing the machines, citing video evidence of people using them within 48 hours of receipt.

    Kennedy-Ohanenye emphasised that procuring equipment to empower women was a better use of the ministry’s funds than spending on ineffective programmes.

    She urged them to immediately begin the use of the machines, assuring them that there were already markets for the items to be produced.

  • Drama as Tinubu’s minister ‘scatter’ Abuja event with police (video)

    Drama as Tinubu’s minister ‘scatter’ Abuja event with police (video)

    Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the Minister of Women Affairs, disrupted an event organized by Mela-Chiyoma Pat Limited in Abuja on Thursday over the alleged impersonation of the ministry.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the minister, as seen in the video shared by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), made a serious accusation of impersonation against the organizers of the event, titled “Unveiling the Power of women and Food Security.”

    According to the Minister, the organizers defied a direct order from President Bola Tinubu to cancel the event.

    The minister further added that the Department of State Services (DSS) had taken the event organizer into custody.

    Addressing the attendees and referring to the event organizers, she said: “I’m standing here to explain this to everyone. She has been arrested. She should have reorganized herself, used her name to make the invitation, and used her name to do this, not to use the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

    “I can’t allow this programme to go on because this is pure impersonation, and the President is not happy about it. I’m saying it, let the media cover it. We don’t care. You don’t do this. You don’t take the ministry for granted, for what?”

    Watch video here;

     

  • Corruption allegations: Tinubu’s minister drags House of Reps committee chair to court over defamation

    Corruption allegations: Tinubu’s minister drags House of Reps committee chair to court over defamation

    The minister of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, has dragged the House of Representatives committee chair, Kafilat Ogbara to court over an allegation of corruption in her Ministry.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the House Committee and the minister engaged in a heated argument during a panel hearing in which the committee alleged misappropriation, overspending, and non-payment to contractors in the Women Affairs Ministry. 

    The committee said it is investigating the alleged diversion of N1.5 billion earmarked for the payment of contractors, including N45 million for a New Year party, N20 million for sanitary pads, and N1.5 million for vehicle fuel, all which Ohanenye denied. 

    Clarifying the reports on Thursday, the women minister, via a statement on X,  emphasizes her unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability. She asserts that all program and project payments are meticulously authorized, following established civil service regulations.

    She further maintained that supporting documents to susbstantiate the accuracy of all financial transactions involving the Director of Finance and Accounts, with final assent by the Permanent Secretary, the Ministry’s accounting officer, has been presented. 

    She stated that a lawsuit with case no (Suit No.E 500/2024) has been filed against Hon. Kafilat Ogbara for libel and defamation. 

    She nugded the committe to present any evidence or proof of alleged misappropriation in the court of law, after which reiterated her commiment to collaborating with the Federal Lawmakers and addressing the pressing needs of Nigerian women and children.

    In her words “As far as I am the Minister of Women Affairs, I will continue to use the Resources judiciously for the benefits of Nigerian Women and Children; there will be no room for Financial Recklessness, Misappropriation of Resources and every Training will be backed up with Sustainable Empowerment”.

  • Drama as Reps, Minister of Women Affairs clash over N20 million for sanitary pads, others

    Drama as Reps, Minister of Women Affairs clash over N20 million for sanitary pads, others

    A video showing the moment the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye and a House of Representatives committee engaged in a heated debate over an alleged corruption in her ministry have surfaced on social media.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, chaired by Kafilat Ogbara, is investigating the alleged diversion of N1.5 billion earmarked for the payment of contractors, including N45 million for a new year party, N20 million for sanitary pads, and N1.5 million for vehicle fuel.

    This comes after some displeased contractors petitioned the committee, alleging non-payment for contracts they had executed for the ministry, which led to the invitation of the minister of Women Affairs, Kennedy-Ohanenye.

    The hearing soon turned into choas, as committee members and the minister hurled accusations and counteraccusations.

    Ogbara asked, “What was budgeted for 2023 from the accountant-general’s office, was it released to the account of the ministry of women affairs. Yes or no?”

    Marie Ebikake, another member of the committee, accused the minister of sidelining staff of the ministry.

    Ebikake said before she was interrupted by the minister, “Fortunately, I attended the last meeting and one of the reasons why we took you on oath was to get the truth from you and today you have deviated.”

    Kennedy-Ohanenye said, “I take exception. I don’t like this allegation. I am no slave to anybody.

    “She should withdraw that statement she said about me. It is not fairness here. It is a trap but I am not going to jump into it. I fear nothing… nothing!!”

    Kennedy-Ohanenye was also interrupted by the committee chairperson, who cautioned her against jumping in while an “honourable member” was speaking.

    The back and forth continued for a while.

    The committee which also sought clarification on funds appropriated for the African First Lady’s mission and the whereabouts of the N1.5 billion meant for contractor payments said that the investigative hearing was aimed at uncovering the truth and not witch-hunting the Minister and the officials of the ministry.

    The minister however denied the allegations of misappropriation, overspending, and non-payment to contractors.

    The procurement officer confirmed contractors’ claims, and the Director of Finance and Administration acknowledged only paying approved contracts.

    It would be recalled that the committee had at its last sitting summoned the minister to appear before it to explain the rationale behind the non-payment.

    The committee also ordered the stoppage of all 2024 contract processes by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs until the whereabouts of the money for the said contracts are determined

  • Sex scandal: My comments extremely regrettable – Minister

    Sex scandal: My comments extremely regrettable – Minister

    Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, says she regrets comments credited to her in a viral video, concerning the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in Cross River.

    The declaration comes as response to recent public discussions and reactions by concerned Nigerians, regarding the unfolding situation at the institution, involving Prof. Cyril Ndifon,  Dean of the Faculty of Law and the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him.

    Kennedy-Ohanenye, in a statement issued to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, reiterated her commitment to justice, safeguarding and advancing the rights and welfare of Nigerian women, including the pursuit of justice whenever their rights were violated.

    She emphasised her unwavering dedication to upholding due diligence and the rule of law, recognising that justice and fairness were the fundamental principles upon which equitable societies were built.

    “I wish to express my sincere apologies to those who were offended by my comments and actions, regarding the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar.

    ” This is extremely regrettable, as my intentions were sincere and aligned with my consistent advocacy for the welfare of Nigerian women and the pursuit of justice.

    “I stand for all Nigerian women and I stand for justice and it is my hope that we can work together to actualise the dream of a country where women’s rights are respected and protected and where our daughters feel safe in institutions of learning,” she said.

    It would be recalled that during a recent appearance on AIT, the minister was unequivocal in her condemnation of sexual harassment and related offences.

    She also expressed deep concern over the escalating cases of sexual harassment across campuses and emphasised the need for decisive action, assuring that her ministry would actively seek justice for those affected.