Why we’ll not participate in advocacy, enlightenment campaigns

The Minister of Women and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, says her ministry will not spend a kobo on advocacy and enlightenment campaigns, describing them as “frivolous meetings.”

She also said millions of dollars are spent on “speaking English and travelling” with nothing to gain from such activities.

Mrs Kennedy-Ohaneye stated this on Wednesday while speaking at the one-day Wealth and Empowerment for Women Initiative held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

The controversial minister said that she has been declining invitations to the events and programmes because such events have done nothing to improve the welfare of women and girls.

She said donors are not willing to commit funding to women’s issues but are only interested in “talk programmes” and sponsoring gender advocates around the world for meetings with nothing to show.

“Majority of the money has been spent on frivolities, speaking English, going to meetings. $10 million could be spent on just meetings, advocacy, and travelling, and we are seeing it, instead of focusing on the issues,” she said.

Mrs Kennedy-Ohanenye said women advocates now lobby to be included in delegations for summits and conferences. She claimed that those opportune to go on such trips are making money while women are suffering.

“I asked them in Addis Ababa, ‘What was the meeting for’? They asked me to come, I went there, but I did not come back with anything. They tell you that the intention is to get money but no money is gotten but you will spend money to go there. I told them I was not coming. What is it that I am coming there to do? Nothing.

“They called me in Abidjan, I told them I was not coming. What is it that I am coming there to do? You speak to the donors, but they are not bringing the money. They are more comfortable in sponsoring meetings, events, programmes and travelling than helping us,” she said.

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She also warned women groups not to approach the ministry for organising events, stating that she did not apply for events in the 2024 budget.

Running battle with donors

Mrs Kennedy-Ohanenye had a running battle with donor agencies some months ago following her threat to sue the UN over “funds collected on behalf of Nigeria”.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/10/publish-monies-collected-from-donors-in-30-days-or-risk-legal-action-uju-kennedy-tells-un/

She gave the global body a month’s ultimatum or she would approach the court.

“I stand here as the Minister of Women Affairs to demand from the UN, the account of all the monies they sourced from donors in Nigeria’s name. We want to see the account of what they did,” she said.

The minister did not, however, carry out the threat after the ultimatum expired.