Staff of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs on Thursday staged a protest at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, openly expressing dissatisfaction with the Minister, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim over alleged neglect, arrogance, and poor leadership.
The angry staff booed the minister and chanted that she “does nothing” to support the daily operations of the ministry.
According to them, the ministry was being starved of basic work tools, including stationery, even as the minister reportedly maintains a retinue of more than 25 special assistants.
Anne Ojubele, a staff member, lamented: “We don’t have working tools. Even a piece of paper to write on, we do not have. Most times, we use our personal money to work, and when we complain, she says she is not accountable to us and that we should go and meet President Tinubu.”
Another worker, Alake Success, accused the minister of being inaccessible and dismissive: “This woman has refused to mingle with staff. We have taken all necessary steps to work with her because the beauty of democracy is to have access to your leader, but she thinks she is more special than us. She has more than 25 SAs, yet we don’t have a cordial working relationship. What we want is for her to be posted to another ministry.”
In response, the ministry, through a statement signed by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jonathan Eze, acknowledged the right of staff to express concerns but stressed that such actions must remain within the bounds of professionalism and civil service conduct.
The statement defended Sulaiman-Ibrahim, describing her as a certified Human Resource Manager who “understands that staff welfare, motivation, and professional development are vital to institutional performance” and continues to advocate for these within the limits of available resources.
It further clarified that the minister is not the Chief Accounting Officer of the ministry, adding that finance and staff administration issues fall under the responsibility of the Permanent Secretary, who is expected to engage directors, assess grievances, and make recommendations.
