By Ikeddy ISIGUZO
WOMEN at War, is a 2022 French mini-television series of only eight episodes centred on World War I. It is already in its second season. Women at War has to be understood to avoid confusions like, Women of War, and Women in War.
From these titles which explore the tangents of war and women, a title can be coined for the altercations and disputations by women, and for women, at the House of Representatives. Perhaps, War of Women.
Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, was in one corner, combat-ready, unyielding and with the arrogance of one whose ministerial toga bears immunity. She may also feel that she was being unfairly treated. At least, her disputes are mostly with fellow women.
The House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development was in another corner, asking the Minister simple questions that could do with straight answers. She would not yield grounds. Something seems to suggest that suspicions were at the centre of these unsightly interrogations that were on television and provided juicy feeds for the social media. Reasons, if they where provided, were drown in raised voices to a point that listeners were more distracted by what were not said. A shouting match was a befitting tag for the occasion.
Ministers are known to refuse appearances at the National Assembly with claims that they were busy. They believe they serve the President, not the people. The National Assembly acting on behalf of those who elected them want to ask hard questions. Sometimes, it would seem that they want to remind Ministers that the National Assembly could summon them. Some questions asked at some sessions prove that some members of the National Assembly need the presence of Ministers to waste everybody’s time.
Every report of the Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye’s appearance on Wednesday at National Assembly was about an averted punchfest. Words were fired like missiles, mainly without any target. At some points, punches would have been thrown, if the major contestants were sitting close to each other. For once, it was understandable that spaces needed to separate opposing sides at meetings.
Matters degenerated when the Minister was asked about N1.5 billion that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation released for the payment of contractors. Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye confirmed that only 30 per cent of the total contract payment was released to the Ministry of Women Affairs which was why the payment to the contractors could not be made.
The investigation lost coherence from that moment. While anyone watching could think the Minister’s irritation was why anyone was bothering her over a mere N1.5 billion while no serious efforts are being made to ask others to account for trillions of Naira, Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye shocked the Committee – she could not say much about the money, she blurted.
According to her, the President’s wife, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, advised her to mind her business. She provided no further details and became more uncomfortable about her disclosure. What did minding her business mean?
Does Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye mean that only N450 million, that is 30 per cent, of a N1.5 billion release got to the Ministry’s account? Who has N1.05 billion of the money? Into which account was N1.05 billion paid? Or who got the money, possibly cash, in which case an account would be unnecessary? Isn’t telling Nigerians Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye’s business?
“If not that the money for this year has been delayed, I’m sure we wouldn’t be here today because we could have paid out some of these liabilities. But since this year, no project money has been released to any Ministry and that is a constraint,” the Minister said breezily. She would have used 2024 budget to cover the hole in 2023. Is that what minding her business means?
Honourable Marie Ebikake of Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State, asked the Minister about the N500m African First Lady Peace Mission project to which these allocations were made: N500m in 2020, N225m in 2021, N500m in 2022 and N150m in 2023. “Where is the office of this project situated and the organogram?,” Honourable Ebikake asked.
“About the First Lady’s funds and the N150m you were talking about, I wasn’t there when it happened. When I came in, I saw it in the Appropriation Act. And I went to my First Lady. We discussed. She said that particular money was not meant for her. She said it was meant for the former First Lady because it was during her tenure that the money was allocated. And the former First Lady later called me and said they wanted to use it and buy a generator,” the Minister explained.
“She (Mrs. Buhari) brought the person that was to get the generator. And I introduced that person to the Procurement Officer then, who is now retired. This was to enable them to work together according to the rules and regulations of procurement. They’ve been on it and once in a while, I call the First Lady to find out what is going on,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.
There was no response to the location of the project. There was no answer to the organigram of the African First Lady Peace Mission. Is it a national or personal project? Is it the practice for the Federal Government to fund projects for former First Ladies? Are there examples of such projects?
“My First Lady will tell you, focus on your work and she focuses on her work. She advises me. I am not a First Lady and I can’t overstep my bounds. All I went to tell her was that there was some amount of money on the Appropriation Act for her office. I have no business much to do with the First Lady’s buildings because I have to only take directives when given,” the Minister said of Mrs. Tinubu.
Committee Chairperson, Mrs. Kafilat Ogbara, then asked the Minister, “Are you saying that it was the former First Lady that requested that the money be used for a generator or the current First Lady?”.
Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye said, “I’m not the accountant. I don’t usually know what you have. I don’t know how much they have in their bank statement. But I saw it (N150m) in the Appropriation Act. It was there in the last year’s budget”.
Things started hearing up. “I can’t answer that question because I don’t know who requested for it. It was supposed to go to procurement. No First Lady called me, I called. I never said a First Lady called, I called to say this is what I saw on the Appropriation paper. That was what I said.
“Let me not be misquoted. I never said it was meant for the First Lady.”
Mrs. Ogbara turned to the Procurement Officer to explain to the Committee how the money was spent.
The Minister jumped in. “I am not getting very comfortable anymore because I don’t even understand this question. I am not a Procurement Officer,” she said. Mrs Ogbara adjourned the hearing indefinitely. Her reason? Confrontation.
Was a confrontation inevitable?
Flashback to 2007 when Governor Kure Abdulkadir appointed Mr. Daniel Clifford Shasere Commissioner for Women Affairs in Niger State, possibly the first man to be so appointed. The women were happy with the appointment. He did well. He was later Commissioner for Sports, and Secretary to the Government of Niger State. If women cannot serve women, we could look further afield, beyond gender.
The House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs should reconvene soon. It should find out what happens to allocations to the Ministry of Women Affairs. It may not be different from other Ministries, and nothing maybe done, but we need to know whether it has become the Ministry of First Ladies.
Finally…
LOCAL Government Councils in Nigeria would breathe if the Supreme Court judgement that granted them autonomy from the shackles of State Governors is implemented. A news report said the political administrations of local government councils in 20 States are appointed by Governors. The practice is contrary to the Constitution’s recognition of the Councils as the third tier of government, and the provision that its government should be elected. The management of Council funds by the Councils would hopefully enhance development. Most importantly, Governor can no longer remove them. This should be recorded as a profound achievement of the Tinubu administration.
GOVERNOR Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State signed six new laws, including amendments to the Sokoto Local Government and Chieftaincy Law, which notably stripped the Sultan of Sokoto the authority to appoint district and village heads. “We have observed with concern the unnecessary tension caused by our proposal to amend these laws. Some reactions were politically motivated, while others stemmed from ignorance of the details and intentions behind the amendments,” Gov Aliyu said.
NEWS that a tricycle driver took his life by the office of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, Ikorodu, after failed pleas for the release of the vehicle, is another indication of the depths of the despondency in the country. Suicide is extreme, resolves nothing, but our humanity should make us realise the challenges people are facing.
Isiguzo is a major commentator on minor issues
