Why they want to stop Okonjo-Iweala

Why they want to stop Okonjo-Iweala — Business leaders

Even before she assumes duties as the minister of finance, managing director of the World Bank, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has come under fire from the old brigade of corrupt politicians and other vested interests.


Okonjo-Iweala had told the Financial Times of London that she had been receiving threatening calls not to return to the new cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan as minister of finance.

President Goodluck Jonathan had invited the World Bank economist to assist with the transformation agenda of his administration.

Okonjo-Iweala had been praised highly for her role in repositioning the economy during the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. She introduced fiscal reforms and tightened the reins on corruption in government

The organised private sector has however come in strong defence of the minister as the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture as well as the National Association of Small Scale Industries have rallied support for Okonjo-Iweala.

NACCIMA President, Dr. Herbert Ajayi, said those threatening the life of the former minister would not succeed because they did not want the country to move forward.

Ajayi noted that Okonjo-Iweala was a woman of steel that had done what many men could not hope to achieve.

He said, “She is a woman of timber and calibre, its women like that we need in this country, nothing can happen to her. By the spirit of this country, we pray that nothing should touch her. Those people who want to do business as usual will want to stop her.”

Ajayi urged Okonjo-Iweala to report to the security agencies at once to check the excesses of those against the progress of the country.

“This is a country where the few are making things difficult, only those who think evil will want to discourage her. We in the organised private sector know her worth, we should give her the support,” he said.

The NASSI also said that Okonjo-Iweala’s second coming was one of the best things that could happen to the nation’s economy adding that an economist of Okonjo-Iweala’s stature and pedigree would be a great boost to the economy and the image of the country.

NASSI President, Mr. Chukwu Nwachukwu, said that anybody or group of people opposed to the return of Okonjo-Iweala, did not want the progress of the country and the economy.

He said, “They must be crazy. This is the biggest scoop that the president has made. This is a lady who did not ask to be brought here. We asked her to come. She is doing a patriotic duty and I believe the country will be better for it. Anybody who is against her is against the rapid industrialisation of this country.”

He urged Okonjo-Iweala to pursue her agenda to make the economy private driven with her focus on small-scale industries.

Speaking further, the Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group and President, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals PLC, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, told our correspondent that he was not surprised that some people had been threatening Okonjo-Iweala not to return to the cabinet.

He said those who feel their businesses would be threatened by her cleansing reforms would definitely want to stop her.

“There is always a struggle between light and day, between the devil and God and between good and bad. We already know her pedigree, based on that the President wants her to support the transformation agenda. Her focus should be in ensuring that the nation’s resources are properly husbanded and deployed in the manner that will give us the optimum returns,” he said.

Ohunbunwa noted that as the treasurer of the nation, Okonjo-Iweala must set up a mechanism to ensure that the resources were deployed to get the best impact, particularly with strict implementation of the budget.

President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Chief Kola Jamodu, however, told our correspondent on the telephone that since Okonjo-Iweala, had not been inaugurated as minister of finance, he could not comment on the situation.

Jamodu said it was the prerogative of the president to deploy a ministerial nominee in any ministry.