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REP. IDEM’S COMMITTEE SUMMONS ACCOUNTANT GENERAL AS WOMEN AFFAIRS MINISTER DENIES REPORT OF ALLEGED PROCUREMENT FRAUD

The Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, today appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement to answer questions on alleged procurement fraud.

The Minister was indicted of alleged procurement fraud, in a report of the Accountant General of the Federation, which is before the committee.

Appearing before the committee, chaired by the member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Rep. Unyime Idem, Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye, however faulted the report of the Accountant General of the Federation, saying it was incorrect.

Providing clarification on the investigation, Rep. Idem, said “some good number of contractors petitioned the Minister of Women Affairs, alleging that they got letters of award for some contracts and had executed them, but the monies were rather paid to (ghost accounts) other companies that didn’t even take part in the job execution process, instead of them.”

“To this end, we summoned the Minister of Women Affairs to come and defend herself. She appeared before the committee today and said the Accountant General’s report was false and urged the House members not to rely on such report,” Idem explained.

Rep. Idem further stressed that the allegation is a grievous procurement fraud, as it involves diversion of monies that should be paid to contractors for jobs done, noting that this is in violation of the Procurement Act, 2007.

Consequently, the Public Procurement Committee has summoned the Accountant General of the Federation to appear before it on May 30, 2024, to provide further clarification to his report, which has greatly indicted the Women Affairs Minister of Procurement fraud.