Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a former Vice-President of the World Bank and the current Minister of Finance in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has denied being a defacto prime minister in the oil-producing West African state. She has been criticized recently., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
I’m not de facto PM, says Okonjo-Iweala
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 00:00 From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan News
Nigerian Guardian
MINISTER of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, yesterday denied being “de facto Prime Minister” in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister for Economy, faulted the various campaigns launched against her while the issue of petrol subsidy removal lasted.
The minister, who spoke during a live telephone interview on an Ibadan-based private radio station, Splash FM said her actions and efforts were driven by her love for the country.
“There is no position like Prime Minister in Nigeria that I know about. I am a Minister in the government doing the best I can. This is a very difficult period in Nigeria. I am also a Nigerian, I feel what people are feeling,” she said.
She said her coming to serve, as a minister in the Jonathan administration was part of her efforts at contributing to the development of Nigeria, saying, “I came with a genuine mind.”
The Finance Minister debunked claims of threatening to resign should President Jonathan revert the pump price of petrol to N65, saying she had no reason to say or do that.
“I never threatened to resign my appointment as minister if Federal Government should revert to the old price of N65 per litre. Why should I do that? There was never a time I said so or made such threat. It is one of those lies being concocted by some people; some are even resigning for me,” she said.
She also denied setting a dateline on the implementation of the subsidy removal contrary to repeated claims that she mentioned April 1 as the implementation date for the removal of fuel subsidy.
“I understand that I did say dialogue is ongoing and I believe we will continue to have dialogue. I am not the one to take the decision. That decision is left for the leader of the country. I said what I knew at that time that we are having a dialogue that is ongoing. I said what I said in good faith,” she added.
She said being a patriotic Nigerian, President Jonathan was concerned about the need to put an end to the problem arising from subsidy removal, pointing out that he could decide to take things easy and spend his four years and leave the rest for the next administration to tackle.
Okonjo-Iweala, however, urged Nigerians to join hands with the current administration in its quest to move the nation forward.
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