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My Subordinate Accused Me Of Sexual Harassment Because I Refused To Pay Her Bills — Foreign Affairs Perm Sec, Lamuwa

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2 weeks ago

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Permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Lamuwa claims that Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi, a ministry staffer, is accusing him of sexual harassment because he defied her demands.

The accusation was communicated to Folasade Yemi-Esan, the head of the federation’s service (HoS), by Yusuf Tuggar, the minister of foreign affairs.

The minister wrote to Yemi-Esan, explaining that due to the “gravity of the matter” and the petition written by human rights attorney Femi Falana, he had to inform her of the development.

However, in response to the allegation, Lamuwa said his failure to pay Ajayi’s bills on an official trip to Davos and refusal to grant her access to policy files and financial records of the ministry were the reasons why she accused him of sexual harassment.

The permanent secretary said he has never sexually harassed her but has maintained a professional relationship with all his subordinates.

“I have served for nine years cumulatively in the State House, in the Office of the Vice President, Chief of Staff to the President, and the exalted Office of the President at various times under Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, Mr. David Edevbie, Amb. Abdullahi Gwary, and lastly, Amb. Lawal Kazaure,” Lamuwa’s leaked response reads.

“I received three letters of commendation at various times from the State House for meritorious service.

“On allegations of female directors being harassed, I have never had any incident with any female director in any hotel room, nor have I ever removed any female officers’ names from trips or postings because they refused to comply with any sexual demands.

“No four women or any number could have shared any alleged ordeal with me with her, as no such incidents have happened in the past, and it is untrue that any such common knowledge exists in the Ministry, as there is no basis for it.

“From the foregoing, I believe Mrs. Simisola O. Fajemirokun-Ajayi’s action might not be unconnected with my failure to pay her Davos bills or give her access to the Ministry’s policy files and financial records.

“For example, on 12th January, 2023, while in Davos, on a WhatsApp chat, she tried to know what I and the DFA were doing about the payment of the outstanding Nigerian Mission’s 1st Semester Allocation of about N12,957,103,477, claiming to know the Minister has spoken to the CBN Governor on the issue.

“In my response, I told her that Missions’ funding should not concern her, as it was being handled at the highest level. Her response was ‘Noted Sir. As directed by the Hon. Minister sir, does it concern Me?’. I wrote back to say, ‘I sorted that out with the HMFA yesterday’. And she said ‘thank you’. I knew she was angry with me about that.

“It is clear that there are two issues that have been worrying Mrs. Simisola O. Fajemirokun-Ajayi and were therefore waiting for any opportunity to get back at me.”

The permanent secretary added that they had exchanged jokes on many occasions in the presence of other people.

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BIG STORY

Niger Governor Umaru Bago Calls For Probe Of N90b Hajj Subsidy

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13 hours ago

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June 24, 2024

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Umaru Bago, the executive Governor of Niger State, yesterday called for the review of activities of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

  1. Bago, who called for the probe of the N90 billion subsidy paid by the Federal government for the Hajj operations, promised to lead a committee of governors to meet relevant authorities to champion the review of the commission.

According to statement by Bago’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Bologi Ibrahim, in Minna, the governor made the call in a chat with reporters in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, wher he assessed this year’s Hajj operation.

He expressed concern that rather than exert its energies on playing regulatory roles, NAHCON turned itself to an operator of Hajj activities.

Recounting the hitches pilgrims encountered, the described the 2024 Hajj exercise as a failure and suggested that Hajj operation should be private sector-driven for effective and efficient service delivery.

The statement quoted Bago as saying: “Let the private sector drive Hajj operations, NAHCON should be a regulator at the centre.

“I am leading a committee of governors to the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF), from there we go to the NEC (National Economic Council).

“I will propose this motion and we will send a Bill to the National Assembly where this issue of NAHCON would be reviewed.

“NAHCON is not helping matters, our Federal Government is too big to be worried about Hajj operations, these are supposed to be local government issues and not even states’”, Bago said.

The governor said that the state governments should be able to organise pilgrimage and engage agents from the private as it is done in other countries.

He called for the probe of N90 billion subsidy paid by the Federal government for the Hajj operations.

The governor described as unfortunate that some states, including Niger, still paid some billions for the pilgrimage, in spite of the subsidy.

He alleged that the pilgrims, who paid N8 million each, were given only $400 (each) to take care of themselves for about 40 days.

According to him, the N90 billion subsidy would have made more impact if routed through the states.

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BIG STORY

BREAKING: Lagos Records 29 Deaths, 579 Suspected Cases In Cholera Outbreak

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16 hours ago

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June 24, 2024

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The Lagos State Ministry of Health has reported 29 deaths and 579 cases since the cholera outbreak began two weeks ago.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Monday, explained that the death rate was due to patients being presented late at the hospital or brought in dead.

He added that no case had been reported in schools.

“For the past two weeks, we have recorded 29 deaths and 579 suspected cholera cases. The 29 deaths was caused by patients being presented late that we couldn’t resuscitate them.”

On June 11, 2024, Abayomi, in a statement, warned that the state had recorded an excess report of severe gastroenteritis cases.

Abayomi disclosed that cases of severe gastroenteritis have been reported in communities around Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Ikorodu, and Kosofe Local Government Area of the state.

 

More to come…

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BIG STORY

Police Counter Laide Bakare’s Harassment Claim, Says We Stopped You For Contravening Traffic Laws

Published

16 hours ago

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June 24, 2024

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The Lagos State Police Command, in response to actress Laide Bakare’s claims of harassment, said that she was pulled over for breaking the law by driving in the BRT lane.

Bakare caused a disturbance and would not comply, according to SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command spokesperson, which resulted in her car being brought to the LAMATA office.

He made it clear that she was not subjected to physical violence or intimidation, and she paid the fee for her infraction before driving off with her receipt and car.

Hundeyin wrote on X: “You were stopped for contravening traffic laws by driving on the BRT lane.

“You chose to create a scene. You chose to remain out of your vehicle when it was being taken to the LAMATA office.

“And the officers were not going to succumb to your gimmick to hold them down at that spot.

“You paid the N70,000 fine for your offence into the government coffers. Not a finger was laid on you. You left with the receipt and your vehicle.”

This response contradicted Bakare’s initial claim that she was dragged out of her car and that her teenage daughter was left inside alone.

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