The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has expressed concerns over financial constraints in her ministry, highlighting her plans to approach the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, for financial assistance.
This development follows recent heated exchanges during a session with the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, chaired by Kafilat Ogbara.
Kennedy-Ohanenye who was summoned by the lawmakers, had disclosed her intent to seek additional funds to settle outstanding payments to contractors who had completed projects for her ministry.
This request comes in the wake of an ongoing investigation into alleged mismanagement of ₦1.5 billion earmarked for contractor payments, which has put the minister and her department under intense scrutiny.
The House Committee initiated the probe following complaints from several contractors about non-payment for services rendered, prompting calls for a thorough review of the ministry’s financial activities. As the investigation continues.
Speaking on Channels TV on Monday, she said, “There is no money in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. Most of the things I do, I source for money. We are underfunded. We are owing.
“The ones (contractors) we certified ready for payment are only four (or) five; they are the ones that have completion certificates. Remember, you have a completion period of which if you don’t complete this project, it could either be revoked or the money to pay you may probably be exhausted.
“The Perm Sec has called for a committee to use what they call PICA (Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit) which is where we will write to the finance (ministry) to assist us pay these liabilities because we can’t pay. We don’t have money.
“Or we move some of them to ongoing projects in 2024. Any of them that fall within that, they (contractors) will get paid. I am serious about this. I wouldn’t want people to do work and be suffering but my hands were tied; I couldn’t do much because of lack of funds.”
