Nigerian Minister Defends Spending N1.5 Million to Fuel Official Convoy
Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, has sparked controversy after justifying the expenditure of N1.5 million to fuel six vehicles in her convoy during an official trip to Anambra State.
According to reports, the minister appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday to respond to questions from lawmakers who had grilled her over unrelated expenditures, including N45 million for a New Year party, N20 million for sanitary pads, and N1.5 million for petrol.
Kennedy-Ohanenye expressed surprise that the lawmakers were questioning the fuel expenditure, saying it was a minor amount. She explained that she had travelled with a convoy of six vehicles, including staff buses, security vehicles, and backup cars, to Anambra State for an official assignment.
"How many vehicles? I travelled with the staff in the bus, two security vehicles, one DSS and one police, my vehicle, the backup, and the other one," she said. "About six vehicles went all the way to Anambra State for a job and we came back. What is N1.5m for those cars? Everybody knows how much fuel cost since I came in."
The minister also lamented that the lawmakers had refused to give her a chance to explain her actions, instead demanding simple "yes" or "no" answers.
"But when I was explaining, they won’t even give you a chance to explain. They will tell you to just say a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ How can I say yes or no without an explanation?" she queried.
The controversy surrounding the minister’s spending has sparked heated debate in Nigeria, with many calling for greater transparency and accountability in government expenditures.
