I won’t resign, Okonjo- Iweala says, as Governors’ Forum wants her out Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala suggested calls for her resignation were political. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Wednesday dismissed calls for her immediate resignation from office over her alleged refusal to comply strictly with Federal Government revenue projections in violation of the 2013 Appropriation Act. Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, had said at the end of of the Forum’s meeting on Tuesday that the decision by the minister to entrust the constitutional responsibility of managing the country’s economy on the Economic Management Team constituted by the Presidency, rather than the National Economic Council, was a violation of the provisions of the Act. But, responding to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry on whether she was considering complying with the demands by the governors, Mrs. Okonjo- Iweala said that was not part of her immediate plans, as she was too busy working to ensure the economy served Nigerians better. “That (resignation) doesn’t arise at all,” the Minister said. “You know I’m not here to address those kinds of issues. I’m Minister of Finance for the country. I’m working with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and I just do my job. I’m not here to address such issues. From time to time, I call you (reporters) to share with you what is happening in the economy. That’s what I am doing. So, I’m not answering to that. And as you see me here, do I look any close to resignation? I de Kampe! “Don’t worry about that. You know we shouldn’t talk about political issues here.What I want to tell you is that the economy must be managed to the good of Nigerians. We are not going to be involved in any political thing. Let’s face facts of the economy – about roads built; agricultural jobs created; increase in production and things we are doing that you can go and check for yourself,” she said. While reviewing the performance of the economy, Mrs. Okonjo- Iweala said the economy was doing reasonably well, though not perfect yet, adding that the realities on the ground attest to that, with 2.5 million seasonal and full- time jobs created in the agricultural sector alone, involving nine commodity chains, including cassava, sorghum, oil palm, cotton, cocoa, dry and rainy season rice. -PREMIUM TIMES
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 22:45:38 +0000
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