By Chesa Chesa
Minister for Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has debunked recent news reports that she advocated for women not to pay tax in the Nigeria.
The reports had emanated from a news broadcast by Arise television station following her guest appearance on the station’s “Morning Show” programme.
Describing the reports as false and misleading, the Minister said she only appealed to security agencies and motor park operators/task forces to spare women transporters, particularly the ‘Pink Riders’ (female commercial tricyclists) from harassment and intimidation, but provide them with requisite security.
In a press statement issued by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Ohaeri Osondu Joseph, Arise television station was cautioned against “incessant and malicious reportage and should not make comments that can throw the country into confusion and chaos.”
According to Osondu: “Many who read and watched the programme on Arise TV of yesterday would see that it was out of character, from the usual rigor and incisiveness associated with objective journalism, hence the need to clarify the disinformation and allegations against the Honorable Minister has become most pertinent.
“We wish to state categorically clear that the Minister did not canvass for women not to pay tax because as a law abiding citizen and a major stakeholder in the Nigerian project, she strongly embraces the fact that there is no gender barrier for tax payment which is the civic responsibility of both men and women in the country.
“To further buttress the misrepresentation of the Minister’s speech at the event, the Arise TV segment did not complement the visuals with a track up of the Minister’s presentation at the program which was organized by the Ministry to address peace and security of women in Nigeria.
“For avoidance of doubts, the Minster stated that some initiatives, including mechanized farming and tricycle transport schemes called Pink Riders, have been introduced to empower women to support their husbands and her exact words were ‘I am begging the Army, task force in motor park and Police, when my women, my Pink Riders start their Keke across the nation, leave them alone, just secure them for me, just give them security’.
“Earlier at the strategic session in October to flag off the Pink Riders Transport Scheme, the Minister had also invited the Police, Vigilante and Transport Union representatives to further provide security, seamless operation of the scheme and also made an appeal for the women who operate the tricycles to be exempted from any form of harassment by the task force operators at the motor parks.
“We therefore want to warn ARISE TV to desist from their incessant and malicious reportage and shouldn’t make comments that will throw the country into confusion and chaos.
“We therefore wish to state here for record purposes that these 6 of Mr. President especially in the area of restoring the hopes of Nigerian women and the vulnerable children.”
