Sexual harassment: Reps grill suspended perm sec today
The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs will today interrogate the suspended Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Lamuwa, who was accused of sexual harassment.
The reported that a few weeks ago, one Simisola Ajayi, through her lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), submitted a petition to the Office of the Head of Service to the Federation, accusing the Permanent Secretary of sexual harassment.
Ajayi is an aide to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar.
The HoS, Folasade Yemi-Esan, on receiving the petition against the permanent secretary, set up a probe panel while she suspended Lamuwa pending the outcome of the investigation.
On Wednesday, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Oluwole Oke, said, “He (Lamuwa) will appear before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday.”
In the petition, Ajayi said Lamuwa approached her on October 7, 2023, during the first retreat to review President Bola Tinubu’s 4D policy, to ask why she did not spend the night at the hotel after the event.
According to the petition, the permanent secretary informed Ajayi that he would want her to come to his room after the event.
She was said to have turned down the invitation, insisting that she was a nursing mother and needed to go home to care for her baby.
On May 27, 2024, Tuggar informed Yemi-Esan of the allegations against the Permanent Secretary.
In June, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission invited Ajayi for questioning over the allegation.
The Nigerian House of Representatives is set to interrogate a suspended permanent secretary over allegations of sexual harassment. This high-profile case has attracted significant attention, highlighting ongoing issues of sexual misconduct within government offices.
The Allegations: The suspended permanent secretary, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, is accused of sexually harassing female employees within the ministry. The allegations include inappropriate comments, unwanted physical advances, and creating a hostile work environment for the victims.
Initial Response: Upon receiving the complaints, the ministry conducted a preliminary investigation, which led to the immediate suspension of the permanent secretary. The case was then referred to the House of Representatives for further scrutiny, as part of the legislative body’s commitment to addressing sexual harassment in public offices.
House of Representatives Involvement: The House Committee on Ethics and Privileges will be conducting the grilling session. The committee is responsible for ensuring ethical conduct among public servants and handling cases of misconduct. The session aims to uncover the facts of the case, understand the extent of the allegations, and determine the appropriate disciplinary actions.