Okonjo-Iweala Backs Buhari's Anti-Corruption War
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former finance minister who served in Gooodluck Jonathan's administration, expressed her support for President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts to end corruption in Nigeria.
Okonjo-Iweala, recently appointed as the chairman-elect of the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, spoke in the United States on September 30 as a guest lecturer, Premium Times reports.
The ex-minister characterized corruption as the biggest hindrance to the country's prosperity, adding that Buhari was confronting it in the right way.
"The new president of the country who is just taking office has made it the central plan of his administration to fight corruption to root it out, and he sets about restructuring some of the key agencies where things are happening, setting example.
"I think with that when you see example in one place, it sends the message about what should happen in other places. I think this is being confronted head on. And I think and hope that with what is going on and what we tried to do in the previous administration, bringing more transparency to way of doing business."
She lamented the massive illicit financial flows, saying they should be blocked for Nigeria to achieve its post-2015 development agenda.
Okonjo-Iweala also spoke about her joining Jonathan's government after working with that of Olusegun Obasanjo.
"When the opportunity came to go for it for the second time, I went, perhaps unwisely, but I went because no one will fight this corruption for us, we have to do it ourselves… But having left government, I have come under attack with people saying she’s done this or that, trying to join you in the group of the corrupt."
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Regarding Buhari's decision to head the petroleum ministry, she said:
"I think the president has the prerogative to do a lot of things, and this is not the first time in our country. President Obasanjo was also the president of petroleum resources in his time. I am not saying this is the best way or best practice but I am just saying for our circumstances it is not the first time.
"If that will bring more clarity, more openness, more transparency to the way the oil sector is done no problem, it’s ok. But if it will not, we have to ask questions."
Okonjo-Iweala has several times been accused of being involved in the embezzlement of public funds.
According to one of the allegations she stole $1 billion while serving as the finance minister. There were also allegations that her family was planning to open a multi-million dollar hospital in Abuja. The official denied the reports.
Earlier this year the National Economic Council accused Okonjo-Iweala of spending $2.1 billion from the excess crude account without authorisation.
Source: Legit.ng
