…Warns Against Nefarious Acts
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
The Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon. Ify Obinabo, has disowned one Chinyere Nwofor, a staff of the Ministry, whom, she said, was accused of engaging in illegal activities using the Ministry’s name.
Addressing newsmen at her office in Awka, the Commissioner said Nwofor was accused of taking a client’s child and property and handing over to her late husband’s relatives.
She noted that it became necessary following a series of voice notes and articles that went viral on the internet, alleging that Nwofor was the one involved in the incident.
She warned the public to beware of certain bad elements in the Ministry who dented government’s image through their illegal activities, urging them to report such to appropriate authorities.
She said, ‘Chinyere is actually a staff in my Ministry. On assumption of office, I carved out the SGBV Unit and deployed some staff there, with Chinyere as the coordinating officer. After some time, I discovered some unholy acts from her and relieved her of the responsibility. For the past one year, Nwofor has not been representing us in that capacity. I also discovered that she was using the Ministry’s name to perpetrate crimes.
‘I wouldn’t mind going begging on your behalf. If you don’t have the passion to assist the less privileged, we can excuse you.
‘You can’t hide under this administration with zero tolerance for rascality to commit any kind of offence. Mr Governor is ready to disgrace you anywhere. The era of: if you can’t beat them, you join them, is over.
‘Meanwhile, those taking advantage of social media to tarnish the image of people should desist from it forthwith.
‘There’s nothing you do on earth that you don’t get a reward. I know some of these persons paid to do the job. Tell those hiring you to talk about me that the person is wasting his or her time.
‘By the grace of God, I’m too decent to get to that level. If I need help, I beg people, and I know they’ll assist me,’ the Commissioner stated.
During interrogation, Mrs Nwofor, however, denied the allegation.
According to her, she took the client to a hotel in Nibo instead of the state office.
‘I had my personal team comprising a lawyer from FIDA, who judged the case,’ she said.
On why she never reported the case to the Ministry, Nwofor claimed it skipped her mind for the past one year and apologized for what she described as a gross misconduct.
Reacting to the development, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Chinwe Achugbu, said the said staff had been queried on several occasions regarding her illegal activities in the Ministry, and that as at the time of this report, a committee had been set, to investigate the matter.
