Minister of Women Affairs Faces Summons Over Fraud and Abuse Allegations

ABUJA/Nigeria: The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, is reportedly set to be summoned by the House of Representatives to respond to allegations of fraud, abuse of office, and misconduct in the management of her ministry. The summons is expected to occur when the House reconvenes next week, following a petition submitted by the law firm, St. Gilos Solicitors, on behalf of its clients, Mela Chiyoma Pat Limited, and its Managing Director, Mrs. Patricia Stan-Dioka.

The petition, dated September 17, 2024, was addressed to the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and titled “Complaint Against the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs Over Corrupt Practices, Abuse of Office, and Economic Sabotage, Denying the Nigerian Government the Benefits of over $200 Billion Credit Line and Incentives for Rural Women Through the Ministry of Women Affairs.” The document outlines a series of alleged corrupt actions and abuse of office by the minister.

According to the petition, Stan-Dioka introduced a program called “Women for Food Security” to Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye in May 2024. The initiative was designed to empower rural women and contribute to food security, aligning with President Tinubu’s agenda on food security. After the minister accepted the proposal, Stan-Dioka and her company were appointed as partners and agents for the program, with an agreement to establish a joint project account between the ministry and the company.

However, issues reportedly arose when the minister allegedly directed that funds for the program be paid into her personal account or that of her son. The petition stated, “Our client was further directed by the Honourable Minister to ask for donor funds and pay the same into private accounts.” When Stan-Dioka refused to comply and insisted that the funds should be paid into the ministry’s account or a nominated joint account, the minister allegedly became furious and threatened to deal with her for disobeying the order.

The petition detailed a subsequent incident on August 8, 2024, where the minister allegedly disrupted an ongoing event related to the program. The petition claimed the minister falsely accused Stan-Dioka and her company of being impostors and organizing the event without the ministry’s knowledge. This disruption reportedly garnered widespread media attention and caused significant embarrassment to the nation.

The petition further highlighted the economic impact of the minister’s actions, stating, “In addition to the consequent international shame and embarrassment, the minister’s actions also sabotaged the economic interest of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigerian populace, especially the rural women and farmers who were supposed to benefit from the program.”

One particularly damaging aspect of the incident was the alleged diplomatic fallout involving the Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda, who was a guest at the event but reportedly confined to her hotel due to the minister’s actions. The petition argued that the minister’s conduct thwarted a significant investment that could have boosted Nigeria’s agricultural production and contributed to the country’s GDP.

The petition concluded by accusing the minister of corruption, abuse of office, and economic sabotage, emphasizing that her actions had denied the nation opportunities for industrialization, skills development, and economic growth. “The teeming unemployed women and youths were also denied great opportunities because of the selfish and inglorious quest for money by a public officer, who should have the interest of the country in mind at all times,” the petition read.

The petitioners expressed confidence in the House of Representatives to investigate the case and bring justice, stating, “Please be assured of our highest regards, as we repose tremendous confidence in the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in investigating cases of this nature.”

With the House set to resume its plenary session next week, the stage is set for a potentially explosive inquiry into the conduct of the Minister of Women Affairs.