Minister of women affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has given a 30-day ultimatum to the United Nations to provide a detailed account of all the funds received in Nigeria’s name from donors or face legal repercussions.
According to Ms Ohanenye’s outburst on AIT on Monday, the UN may have been embezzling donations from affluent individuals and organisations intended to combat poverty or cater to other unique needs of underprivileged Nigerians.
“I stand here as a minister of women affairs to demand from UN, all the UN; that we want account of all the money they sourced from donors in the name of Nigeria,” Ms Ohanenye passionately expressed. “We want to see the account of what they did with it and if you (UN) don’t give us this account, at least let Nigerians see what has been going on. Then you plead with them, apologise to them and change your ways.”
Ms Ohanenye said the nation is prepared to take legal measures to see that the UN complies with her demand for a comprehensive report outlining how funds have so far been obtained from donors and disbursed to Nigerians in need.
She stressed that the report must be submitted between October 16 and November 15 in order to avoid legal repercussions.
“From 16th of October to November 15th. If we don’t see these reports published for Nigerians to see, we are heading to court. From 16th of October to November 8, they get our pre-action letters,” Ms Ohanenye stressed on Monday.
“That is to prepare them on the 15th, we are heading to court. And I am promising Nigerians that immediately it is that 15th, by the next day, you will hear the suit number and all of you, we will gather to that place for the case to come on, and call for them to defend the money they are using you (Nigerians) to collect from donors.”
The report, if published, would show whether the funds sourced from generous donors have so far served their purpose or could corroborate Ms Ohanenye’s suggestions of corruption in the UN.