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 revealed that the Federal 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.
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.
