Women affairs slams World Bank project over $100m fund misuse

Uju Kennedy- Ohanenye, the Minister of Women Affairs, has expressed her dissatisfaction with the alleged mismanagement of the Nigeria for Women Project, a World Bank sponsored initiative.

The project was designed to support women entrepreneurs, especially those in the agricultural sector, by providing them with capital and financial literacy skills.

However, the Minister said that she was appalled to discover that only a few women were selected and given meager amounts of money, ranging from N30,000- N60,000, and that they still used primitive methods to process their farm produce.

“As we speak, they have released $100 million for this project. What it was meant to do was to bring in women and encourage them in business, empower them, give them little capital and teach them how to save money.

“But as we speak, they have gathered some women, very few in number and have given them between N30,000 to N60,000 and the women are saving meagerly.

“I went there to visit and I didn’t see any improvement in their lives. Even those farming rice still use their hands to pick rice and with this, they can’t move from one point to another.

“I am asking Nigeria for Women Project, what did they do with the $100 million that they couldn’t buy common machine? We have bought that machine and we are expecting it any moment for now and we will give it to the women.”

Revealing the high level of corruption tied to the project, the minister said already, the ministry had purchased a machine to help the women, which according to her costs less than $3,000.

“The machine does four things. It de-stones the rice, chaffs it off, washes it and boils it. It produces 10 bags of rice per hour and it costs less than $3,000.

“Why couldn’t they get it and give it to the women if they’re actually sincere that they want to help us. Why are they deceiving us? If you don’t want to help us, don’t use our name to collect money.

“But if you collect our money, we demand an account. From now onwards, you must give us an account and you must utilise that money in a way that will favour our people. You will not bring in Western ways into our country because it is not working for us. We need action and empowerment, so that we can tackle the challenges trying to swallow us. That is what we need.”

Speaking further, she said: “So what did Nigeria Women Project do with $100 million that up till date, these women are using hands to pick stones  from rice?

“How do we increase our productivity to have food in the society and help the poor if we continue like this? Nigerians demand an explanation on the issue if the funds. When the necessary things have not been done to improve our agriculture and help the women to be empowered.