5th November, 2023
By Justina Auta
Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, ther Minister of Women Affairs, has defeated four of her counterparts in the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to emerge ‘Super Minister’ of the month in an online poll of by an Ireland based newspaper, The Street Journal.
The Minister who the maiden edition of an online poll conducted to determine the ‘Super Minister’ Osondu Joseph, her Special Assistant on Media disclosed in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the award was formally presented to Kennedy-Ohaneye in her office by management of the media outfit led by the Publisher, Mogaji Arisekola.
While presenting the award, Arisekola said the Minister deserved it because of the steps she has taken to promote the interest of women and vulnerable children since she was appointed.
“She tops in the keenly contested poll, which had four other Ministers contending for the ‘Super Minister’ of the month award.
“She polled 190,848 votes (45.74%) to emerge the clear winner with Senator Dave Umahi, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, now Minister for Works, trailing closely behind by polling 171,137 votes (41.02%).
“Other Ministers who were part of the poll are Dr Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation who came third. She polled 22,505 votes (5.39%), and Bunmi Ojo, Minister of Interior, who polled 21,204 votes (5.08%).
Explaining the result of the poll, Arisekola stated that the exercise would be sustained to spur others to perform their duties effectively towards achieving national development.
“The poll is credible, cannot be manipulated or influenced. The poll was designed in such a way that the votes counted, and one can see how the votes were cast.
“There was transparency and your emergence as winner cannot be far-fetched especially in view of some bold steps you took recently to fight the cause of women. Nigerians voted massively for you,” he said.
Responding, Kennedy-Ohaneye, expressed appreciation to the organisers for the initiative of using the poll as yardstick to measure and engender service delivery among the serving ministers.
She urged the media to continue to partner in the on-going drive to change the status of Nigerian women and vulnerable children.
“I want you to join us in the fight to ensure that majority of the funds that come from donors do not go into advocacy and travels.
“But to make positive impact on those women and children they are meant for like 30 per cent and 70 per cent to advocacy and women, respectively,” she said.
Kennedy-Ohaneye said the award will spur her to do more to justify the opportunity given to her by President Bola Tinubu to change the narrative concerning the present status of Nigerian women and vulnerable children.
(NAN)