Protest at women affairs ministry politically motivated – NANS

..Says: Demonstration meant to discredit Minister, embarrass Tinubu’s govt

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has described the recent protest at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs as politically motivated, insisting that it was aimed at discrediting the Minister, Hajia Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, and casting a shadow on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Olushola Oladoja, NANS said its independent review of the protest suggested that it went beyond normal staff grievances and carried political undertones linked to disagreements over the minister’s appointment.

“It is indeed worrisome that a woman of proven integrity and competence, who earlier served as Minister of State for Police Affairs with an impressive record of performance, is suddenly being tagged as ‘staff unfriendly’ merely eight months into her redeployment to the Ministry of Women Affairs,” the statement read.

The student body acknowledged that issues such as unpaid reimbursements for official trips, lack of work materials, and delayed promotion examinations had been raised, but argued that such matters should ordinarily be addressed through the permanent secretary, who is the accounting officer of the ministry.

“By every standard, such issues, if genuine, should have been directed to the permanent secretary who is the administrative head, which would normally warrant an official engagement with the relevant authorities, not an overnight protest targeting a new minister who has spent less than a year in office,” NANS stated.

The association further highlighted what it described as progress in the ministry under Suleiman-Ibrahim’s leadership, pointing to the roll-out of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions and Development Programme. It said the initiatives had already extended government presence to the grassroots and boosted confidence in the ministry’s mandate.

“NANS hereby calls on all stakeholders to avoid actions that could distract the minister from her work. We will continue to support genuine progress at the Ministry of Women Affairs and defend leaders who are focused on delivering results for Nigerian women and girls,” the statement added.

The students reaffirmed their confidence in the minister’s leadership and urged her to remain focused on her assignment of advancing the rights, welfare, and empowerment of Nigerian women and girls.

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