The House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs Social Development has summoned the minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, to appear before it on Tuesday, July 9, to explain the alleged diversion of about N1.5 billion meant for payment of contractors.
The chairman of the committee, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara (APC, Lagos) gave the directive at an interactive session with officials of the ministry.
Ogbara said the minister is expected to come with relevant documents to defend the whereabouts of the money.
The interactive session followed a petition by contractors of the ministry to the House over non-payment for contracts executed running into billions of Naira.
The committee also ordered the Ministry to stop all contract processes contained in 2024, until the issue of the alleged diverted money is resolved.
The committee also asked the minister to come before it with details of the special account allegedly opened for the Chibok girls as well as the memorandum of understanding signed with the American University of Nigeria for the training of the girls.
The committee chairman alleged that the Ministry initiated new contracts not captured in the 2023 budget and diverted the N1.5bn into those contracts instead of using the money to pay old contractors.
Hon. Kafilat Ogbara said the Ministry awarded fresh contracts in 15 states of the federation, similarly not captured in the 2023 appropriation while owing contractors.
