As reported by Punch, the Kwara State Government has denied its involvement in the payment of a N1,500 registration fee for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Empowerment program currently underway in the state.

The state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Oluwakemi Afolashade, dissociated her ministry and the state government from this fee in a statement made available to Arewa PUNCH on Wednesday.

Our correspondent reports that the P-BAT empowerment program aims to provide support for vulnerable women across the 16 local government areas of the state.

However, the government gathered that a sum of N1,500 was being charged as a registration fee for the empowerment program in Baruten Local Government Area of the state.

As a result, the state government while berating those involved in imposing the illegal N1,500 registration fee on the innocent residents stressed that the registration for the program is free of charge, adding that, “No individual, organisation, institution or any bank has been authorised to collect any fees in connection with this program.

The statement reads, “The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Opeyemi Oluwakemi Afolashade has made it clear that since she assumed office, the ministry has not entered into any agreement or collaboration with any Bank or any other financial institution concerning this empowerment program.

“Any unauthorised collection of fees from women in the course of this registration process is illegal and will not be tolerated. The Kwara State Government is closely monitoring the situation, and stern action will be taken against any individual or group found exploiting our citizens by demanding payment for a service that is meant to be free.

“We urge all women in Baruten LGA and across Kwara State to report any incidents of illegal fee collection to Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs or other relevant authorities. The Kwara State Government is committed to ensuring that this program reaches all intended beneficiaries without any undue financial burden.

“We reiterate that the registration is free, and any attempt to charge or extort money from participants will be met with the full wrath of the law.”

A full text of the statement further read in parts: “The attention of the Kwara State Government has been drawn to reports that women in Baruten Local Government Area (LGA) are being charged N1,500 for registration in the ongoing P-BAT Empowerment Program.

“This program, aimed at providing support to vulnerable women across the 16 LGAs of Kwara State, is a key initiative designed to mitigate the effects of subsidy removal and empower our citizens.

“We wish to categorically state that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs mandated that this registration is to be conducted free of charge. No individual, organisation, institution or any bank has been authorised to collect any fees in connection with this program.

“The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Opeyemi Oluwakemi Afolashade has made it clear that since she assumed office, the ministry has not entered into any agreement or collaboration with any Bank or any other financial institution concerning this empowerment program.

“Any unauthorised collection of fees from women in the course of this registration process is illegal and will not be tolerated. The Kwara State Government is closely monitoring the situation, and stern action will be taken against any individual or group found exploiting our citizens by demanding payment for a service that is meant to be free./p>