Former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju-Kennedy Ohanenye, disclosed on Wednesday that she was sacked less than two weeks after some Nigerians donated money for some projects she wanted to implement in the Ministry.
She explained that as a minister, there were some projects she wanted to implement that were not in the current budget.
According to her, she made an appeal to raise funds for some categories of vulnerable Nigerians and was surprised that people gathered at the Aso Rock Villa and donated over ₦200 million naira.
Speaking during an interview with Channels Television, Kennedy-Ohanenye disclosed that she was however sacked less than two weeks after the donations and before the donated funds could be utilized.
The former Minister said she was, therefore forced to ask the secretary in charge to write to the bank to do a reversal of the funds to the donors.
“The programmes I initiated like the mobile courts, going to rescue small girls hawking on the streets, I did not have money for that because it wasn’t part of what was budgeted for.
“When I called on Nigerians, I was so surprised a lot of them gathered at the villa and donated money to this effect. They were very happy to support it.
Unfortunately, not up to two weeks after the donations, I was sacked. When that happened, there was no way I could use that money. I asked the secretary in charge to write to the bank to do a reversal of the funds,” she narrated.
Also speaking during the interview, Kennedy-Ohanenye said she has no regrets over some actions she took as minister.
Naija News reports that Kennedy-Ohanenye was one of the Ministers sacked by President Bola Tinubu in October 2023 during a cabinet reshuffle.
She was fired alongside four other ministers at the time – Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth Development), Tahir Mamman (Education) and Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo (Housing and Urban Development).
Speaking on the incident during her interview, she however disclosed she handled matters related to her office to the best of her knowledge and has no regrets.
“I have a responsibility given to me to man that place and make sure things go right. I wouldn’t have tolerated anybody trying to rubbish deceit given to me.
“There must be an impact on people. I’m glad that I didn’t give such chance and I have no regret in the way I did my job. That was the highest way I would have done that,” she said.