Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development is investigating the use of N1.5 billion intended for contractor payments, amid allegations that principal officers in the ministry may have misappropriated the funds.
Documents reveal that the Ministry of Women Affairs, under Minister Uju Kennedy Ohanenye's supervision, paid N48,214,800 for the supply of items like sewing machines and electrical irons to women's cooperative societies in three states.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development is investigating the use of N1.5 billion intended for contractor payments, amid allegations that principal officers in the ministry may have misappropriated the funds.
During a recent meeting with the committee, Aloy Ifeakandu, Director of Finance at the ministry, stated that he followed official directives from his superiors and maintained that relevant records are available. The meeting was convened in response to a petition filed by contractors with the House of Representatives regarding unpaid contract fees totaling billions of naira.
Committee Chair Kafilat Ogbara noted that the ministry may have initiated new contracts not accounted for in the 2023 budget and potentially misallocated up to N1.5 billion intended for previous contractors.
She further noted that the ministry, despite having outstanding debts to contractors, proceeded to award new contracts in 15 states across the country. These additional contracts, she observed, were also not accounted for in the 2023 budget.
“Money for contractors has not been paid and money has been diverted, so how do you pay these contractors,” she asked.
According to documents obtained by SaharaReporters, the Ministry of Women Affairs, led by Minister Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, paid for contracts worth N48,214,800 for the supply of items like sewing machines and scissors to women's cooperative societies in three states. The contracts are intended for poverty alleviation, but are currently under investigation. Sources indicate that the funds may have been originally earmarked for other purposes, but were allegedly repurposed by the minister and certain officials to create new contracts. The matter is being investigated further.
A review of documents obtained by SaharaReporters reveals that some contracts were awarded in April 2023, prior to Minister Uju Kennedy Ohanenye's appointment, but payments were made by her office. While the dates of some contracts are not specified, the documents show that the ministry received a request on December 27, 2023, for 70% final payments towards the purchase and distribution of equipment for cooperative societies in Anambra, Bayelsa, and Kebbi states. The purpose of these payments is stated as poverty alleviation and support for entrepreneurship activities.
According to documents obtained, the ministry awarded contracts totalling N12,121,800 to Ayigaga Integrated Services Nigeria Limited, owned by Toyin Balogun, to supply sewing machines to women in Ezuben (Otuasega) Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, Bayelsa State.
The contract includes the supply of eight sewing machines for N6.8 million, at a unit price of N450,000 each, for the benefit of the cooperative society.
According to one of the invoices obtained by SaharaReporters, the company supplied one ‘cutting cloth machine’ for N180,000; one ‘taping machine’ for N900,000; one ‘industrial buttonhole machine’ for N900,000; one ‘overlock weaving machine’ for N850,000; a ‘steam press machine’ for N400,000; one ‘heavy industrial iron’ for N200,000 and eight ‘industrial sewing machines’ for N6.8 million (at a cost of N850,000 each).
However, it was learnt that many of the so-called empowerment projects were grossly inflated in both price and quantity, with little to no actual benefit reaching the intended beneficiaries.
For example, steaming iron termed ‘steam pressing machines’ was bought at the cost of N400,000, ordinary scissors were termed ‘cutting cloth machine’ and bought for N180,000.
Another document obtained by SaharaReporters shows that one company named Brolark County Nigeria Ltd run by one Akinwumi Oladimeji as the Managing Director with Akinwumi Oladimeji Akinlabi and Akinwumi Festus Bamidele as Directors was awarded N17,025,000 to supply five rice milling machines at N3 million per one unit.
According to the document, the company supplied the equipment to women in Sangara Agro Allied Producers & Marketers Cooperative Association, Kebbi State.
Larrihans International Service Limited was awarded a contract to supply six Garri processing machines at N9 million, each at a cost of N1.5 million; and six Garri frying machines at N7.8 million, each at a cost of N1.3 million.
Larrihans International Service Limited which has one Oyewole Oyeniran listed as its Managing Director reportedly supplied the items to women in AEDI Multipurpose Cooperative Society in Anambra State.
Sources involved in the probe said that hundreds of millions of naira were also allegedly used to purchase seven tricycles (Keke Napep) for women in the barracks.
This blatant misuse of public funds has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, and the minister's attempt to dodge accountability has only added fuel to the fire.
Adding to the shock, Mrs Ohanenye is well-known for her vocal stance against corruption.
She has a reputation for threatening to sue international donors and even the United Nations over allegations of financial impropriety. This public image of a staunch anti-corruption advocate now lies in tatters, as she stands accused of the same malpractices she claims to oppose.
The fraud allegedly orchestrated by Ohanenye involved rerouting money under the guise of empowerment projects for the poor, a source close to the investigation told SaharaReporters.
The House of Representatives requested the minister's presence to address discrepancies in the ministry's financial records.
However, the minister scheduled a conflicting meeting with President Bola Tinubu, which was later cancelled. Sources within the ministry have since come forward as whistleblowers, alleging that the minister claimed the President had directed the diversion of funds. Believing they were acting under presidential orders, the officials cooperated. Nevertheless, it has now been established that neither President Tinubu nor the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, had any knowledge of the transactions.
Whistleblowers from within the ministry have reportedly come forward with detailed accounts of alleged fraud, describing how contracts were awarded to companies with unclear or unverifiable addresses and how funds were disbursed to an account specified by the minister.
The sources also highlighted various extra-budgetary expenses and diversion of funds, including expenditures on events such as a children's party and a 'Baby of the Year' ceremony, which was hosted by the First Lady.
Additionally, sources claim that the minister has a history of invoking the President's name in interactions with international donors and has exhibited behavior that could be perceived as intimidating or threatening towards colleagues, including a reported incident where she allegedly threatened to physically attack the Director (Legal).
An additional source within the ministry, familiar with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the ministry and American University of Nigeria, has alleged that a 50% rebate from the Chibok girls' tuition paid by the Federal Government was released for the empowerment of the students' parents.
However, the funds were reportedly paid into a private account specified by the minister. The situation is increasingly contentious, with growing demands from various stakeholders for a comprehensive investigation and the immediate suspension of Ohanenye.
Civil society organizations and anti-corruption watchdogs have demanded that the minister should be held accountable for her actions and that all stolen funds be recovered.
The minister was thus queried by the committee: “Did the Ministry sign any MOU with the American University of Nigeria, Yola on the Chibok girls to use 50% of the school fees to empower parents of Chibok girls? Who signed the MOU?
“Who supplied the rice milling machines (empowerment equipment) at that outrageous price to the parents of the Chibok girls? How were the contractors selected? Request for a copy of the MOU signed with the American University of Nigeria, Yola on the use of 50% of the school fees to empower parents of Chibok girls.”
Similarly, while being queried, the ministry’s Director of Procurement was asked by the committee: “Was the 33 lots (contracts) awarded in October 2023 in your 2023 Procurement Plan?
“The contracts sum for the 33 lots were outrageous, embarrassing and to say the least it was pure stealing. How can you justify awarding a pressing iron for N400,000 but you awarded it as ‘Industrial Pressing Machine’ or how do you justify awarding an ordinary scissors which is around N5,000 but was termed ‘cutting cloth machine’ for the sum of N180,000.
“What is taping machine that you awarded for N900,000? An ordinary tape rule? What is Industrial Buttonhole holding machine that you awarded N900 million? Or the locally fabricated Gari processing machine awarded at the rate of N1.5 million per one?”
However, documents obtained by SaharaReporters show N900,000 was awarded for an industrial buttonhole holding machine. It is not clear what makes up other figures in the possession of the committee members that amounted to N1.5 billion.
The Committee also queried the permanent secretary of the ministry over its investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding the alleged misappropriation of overhead funds for November and December 2023.
"Funds were traced to Bureau de change and there were accusations and counter accusations regarding the beneficiary of the fund.
“The Committee is also aware that some officers had made refund of the embezzled funds to ICPC. Have you as Permanent Secretary initiated any disciplinary procedure against them? Write to ICPC to request for the status of the investigation and suspend the officers in line with Public Service Rules pending the outcome of the investigation," the query read.
Attempts to contact the minister for her comment or response were unsuccessful, as she did not answer calls or respond to text messages.