We didn’t advocate tax exemption for women –Minister

By Egena Sunday Ode

Women Affairs Minister, Barr Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has refuted reports suggesting that she wanted women to be exempted from paying taxes in the country.

She dismissed the reports as disinformation and inaccurate acount of her presentation at the event referenced in the story.

The minister who was reacting to the report allegedly aired by a television station said she is an advocate of gender inclusion especially when it comes to the observation of civic responsibilities such as payment of taxes.

Speaking through her Special Assistant on Media, Ohaeri Osondu Joseph, in a press statement, Barr Kennedy-Ohanenye, said emphatically that the report aired by the television station was a misrepresentation of the facts she presented at the said event.

“We wish to state categorically clear that the Minister did not canvass for women not to pay tax because as a law abiding citizen and a major stakeholder in the Nigerian project, she strongly embraces the fact that there is no gender barrier for tax payment which is the civic responsibility of both men and women in the country.

“For avoidance of doubts, the Minster stated that some initiatives including mechanized farming and Tricycle transport schemes called Pink Riders have been introduced to empower women to support their husbands and her exact words were “I am begging the Army, task force in motor park and Police, when my women, my Pink Riders start their Keke across the nation, leave them alone, just secure them for me, just give them security,” the statement by Osondu clarified.

It added: “Earlier at the strategic session in October to flag off the Pink Riders Transport Scheme, the Minister had also invited the Police, Vigilante and Transport Union representatives to further provide security, seamless operation of the scheme and also made an appeal for the women who operate the Tricycles to be exempted from any form of Harassment by the task force operators at the motor parks.

“The Ministry of Women Affairs looks up to the media as dependable allies and veritable platforms to effectively drive the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President especially in the area of restoring the hopes of Nigerian women and the vulnerable children.”