REACTIONS have followed a viral video where the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, was seen storming the venue of an event at the Presidential Villa, accusing the organiser of impersonation and fraud by claiming the event was being held in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs.
In the video, the minister stormed the event to bring it to a halt, saying, “This is impersonation going on here. The Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs did not plan this, and the lady has been arrested.
Right now, she is with DSS (Department of State Services), because she put this up after we wrote that we were cancelling because the President approved that we should cancel until further notice, but she still went ahead. This is impersonation.
“As far as this programme flyer is printed and given out, that makes it a fraud. This is why I am standing here to explain to everyone that she (the organiser of the event) has been arrested.”
The minister explained that the organiser of the programme tagged ‘Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in Collaboration with Mela Chiyoma Pat Limited: A programme aimed at Empowerment of Women for Food Security’ should have reorganised the programme using the name of her organisation and excluded the ministry since the government had written to inform her of its withdrawal from the partnership.
“She should have used her name to do this and not to use the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. I can’t allow this programme to move on; I’m sorry about it.
“This is pure impersonation, and the President is not happy about it, so let the media cover it. I don’t care because you don’t take the ministry for granted,” she told the astounded audience.
A member of the audience was heard in the video exclaiming, “What just happened, so is it over then?” Another participant responded, “It is over.”
While the minister’s action was commended by many as exemplary to prevent others from intending to exploit the name of the ministry for personal gains, some have, however, said Barrister Kennedy-Ohanenye’s action was a bit over the top.
An anonymous source said the minister was in the know of the programme but turned her back on the organiser as she failed to dance to her tune. Therefore, she went ahead to disrupt the program and arrest her for fraud and impersonation.
CREDIT: THE GUARDIAN
