BY SAM ONWUEMEODO
Righteousness does not only exalt a nation, but the individual and institutions. The reverse is entirely the case, when evil abounds. In other words, evil, not only stifles a nation, it stagnates individuals and institutions.
That’s the reason, when One sees evil , let the person condemn it and not minding whose ox is gored.
Citizen Mouldline Durueke, an indigene of the State, was, before now, a personnel of lmo Civil Guards, and posted to the State Ministry of Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs. There was no report of insubordination or truancy or negligence, against her in public domain.
She had complained that the Head of Accounts ( HOD), in the Ministry, Mr Christian Chukwuma Osuagwu, had harassed her sexually. The information was that, she had endured the alleged harassment for a very long time, but could not get a reprieve or relief or defence or protection, from anybody or from any quarter and out of seeming frustration, she decided to speak out.
It was reported too that , she had officially written to the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Charles Onuegwunwoke, over the alleged sexual harassment by Mr Osuagwu, but nothing was done about her letter.
The Head of Service, Mr Raymond Ucheoma, a lawyer, was not equally keen in doing the right thing or taking the right action. Ucheoma was only reported to have come up with logics that had nothing to do with the weight or the nucleus of the matter in question.
Mr Osuagwu, uptil now, has not come up with any strong denial of the sexual harassment allegation against him, by Citizen Mouldline Durueke. From all indications, Mr Osuagwu had only hidden under the ” hierarchy politics” in the Ministry, to deal with the matter.
It was also gathered that a lawyer had come into matter, following the media reports on the issue and the hopeless and helpless situation Mouldline Durueke had found herself. And the lawyer who had volunteered to help the helpless lady, had filed an action in court on her behalf.
Following the Court action, she was reported to have been suspended and her salary stopped. Her suspension from work and the suspension of her salary were said to have been ordered or authorised by the new Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs, Mr Modestus Osakwe.
The new Commissioner, like the Acting Permanent Secretary and Head of Service, was not also interested in the crux of the matter, but only keen in the Civil Service politics, especially when a senior personnel in the service is involved.
A matter that has lingered for months and those incharge or at the helm of affairs have not seen the need to querry the HOD involved over the allegation against him. They have not seen the need to set up a panel to investigate the allegation. They have not seen the efficacy of the HOD brought or made to confront his accuser, with the sole aim of finding out the truth or otherwise of the allegation.
When one looks at the whole situation, the problem is that, Mouldline Durueke is from a poor home and does not have anyone to speak for her or stand for her. And that’s the reason she could come up with this weighty allegation and all those who should have taken steps to ensure that the right thing was done or that the right action was taken didn’t care or still, do not seem to care . This is very unfortunate.
If Mouldline Durueke had gotten someone to fill the gap for her , all those concerned would be the ones asking for the peaceful resolution of the matter. But they all seem to have ganged up against the lady because she is not their daughter or sister. And she has nobody to come to her rescue.
The lady has been suspended from work. Her salary, stopped. But the man she accused of sexual harassment has continued to function as the HOD of Accounts. The allegation might be false. But with the way the whole thing has been been handled so far, the impression is that, there’s an alibi. That, all is not well.
Now that the matter is in court, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. C. O. C Akaolisa, should do what others had failed to do. He should take the bull by the horns. He should leave no stone unturned. The lady in question is the daughter of the State and should be protected. She should not be left to continue to feel abandoned or rejected. She should be given sense of belonging.
The Attorney general and Commissioner for Justice should work to withdraw the case from Court and take charge. He should constitute a panel to investigate the allegation and come up with a report. That’s what the situation demands now.
Meanwhile, let the Commissioner ensure that the lady is recalled to work and her ceased salaries paid, pending the conclusion of the case. As a highly experienced lawyer, the Commissioner should know that, the Court action by the lady was obviously borne out of frustration. And suspending her from work and suspending the payment of her salary were all acts of intimidation and harassment.
The lady should be made to know that she does not need to come from a wealthy family or have a highly placed someone before she could be heard. The Commissioner has a duty here. He has a responsibility. And the way he carries out this onerous task is left for him. But he should be conscious of the verdicts of history and posterity.
