Group Allege Diversion of Empowerment Items Meant For Enugu Women, Call For Probe

The Enugu Integrity Group for Sustainable Development (EIGSD) has cancelled what they called “lies against humanity” made by the Director-General National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) Hon Asabe Bashir that about 130 women in Enugu State were trained and empowered by the agency.

A statement released to news Men on Monday, the Groups National Coordinator and Secretary , Rev Ifeanyi Ogbu and Pharm Ezeh Azuka, the group asserted that such a statement by a renowned woman of valour is antithetical to the virtues of President Muhammadu Buhari on honesty and selfless service to humanity.

They posited that, at no point was Enugu women trained and empowered by the agency apart from a congratulatory Party that was organised by About 20 Benue women in Enugu in honour of Ambassador Ginika Tor-Williams, who is a from Enugu but a wife to one of their sons.

They stated that such an occasion never happened any where in the state talk more of putting smiles on the faces of over 100 Enugu women as, the said organisers of the programme must have diverted the funds meant for it and decided to seal the secret through a pseudo event.

The Enugu Integrity Group for Sustainable Development also questioned why such a magnitude of programme would be scheduled and executed without proper Consultation with stakeholders such as Religious leaders, Political Party Leaders, Civil Society Groups amongst others.

They however called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, probe the utilisation of the funds meant for the said programme and bring the truth to the public to see if it would go a long way in bringing sanity to the way public functionaries do things as well as, helping the fight against corruption.

According to the group.

“We the Leadership of Enugu Integrity Group for Sustainable Development frowns at a publication made by the National Centre for Women Development NCWD were they claimed to have trained and empowered about 130 women across the 17 local Government Areas of the State”

“We are saddened at how such a lie against humanity can be spread by people we trusted with our future, under a Government known for her zero tolerance to corruption”

“There was no such event any where in the state apart from a congratulatory visit made by Benue women to their wife, Ambassador Ginika Tor-Williams in appreciation to God for her appointment into the Federal Character Commission”

“We are perplexed at how such a noble programme would haved happened in Enugu and people are not aware because, since the said programe involved training, testimonies must have spread and people would have appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for such gesture; especially at this point in time, when Covid-19 pandemic has caused damages to the economy “

“We still wonder why political parties, Religious leaders, Traditional leaders and other stakeholders were not carried along if such actually happened”

“The funds must have been diverted into private pockets and a congratulatory visit used to seal the secret”

“How can the National Centre for Women Development NCWD choose to do their program in Enugu State with Federal Character Commission when we have other agencies who could have been used, if not to loot funds?”

“We are aware that there have been series of accusations and petitions against Ambassador Ginika Tor-Williams over diversion of palliatives by some groups including the one disseminated through her political Party’s social media platforms on Sunday June 20,”

“We wouldn’t want to conclude that Ambassador Ginika Tor-Williams is anti-public fund utilisation, even though it is glaring that she could be into such”

“We await for the outcome of the investigation to be carried out by the caretaker committee of her political Party which is APC on an alleged diversion of 2020 Covid-19 palliatives to the same Benue and her Amoli people”

“we are willing to take up this matter an others to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC as well as The National Leadership of the All Progressives Congress APC.”

” We call on the Federal Government to set up a committee that will investigate this nonexistence training and empowerment programme as it would go a long way in sanitizing the polity “