The Ex-Minister denies spending $2.1bn without approval
The claim was made by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole after the
inaugural meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Monday, June
29, 2015.
Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied allegations that she spent $2.1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) without authorization.
The claim was made by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole after the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Monday, June 29, 2015.
Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
(Gist Arena)
President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurates National Economic Council (NEC) on June 29, 2015 in Abuja.
Okonjo-Iweala’s denial was contained in a statement released by her media aide, Paul Nwabuikwu on Tuesday, June 30.
Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied allegations that she spent $2.1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) without authorization.
The claim was made by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole after the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Monday, June 29, 2015.
Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
(Gist Arena)
Okonjo-Iweala’s denial was contained in a statement released by her media aide, Paul Nwabuikwu on Tuesday, June 30.
It reads in part:
“The
allegation by some governors that former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, spent $2.1 billion out of the Excess Crude Account
‘without authorisation’ is false, malicious and totally without
foundation. We want to state categorically that no unauthorised
expenditure from the ECA was made under Okonjo-Iweala’s watch in the
Finance Ministry.
“Decisions on such expenditure
were discussed at meetings of the Federation Accounts Allocation
Committee (FAAC) attended by
finance commissioners from the 36 states.”
“…But
Nigerians know that collective revenues, allocations and expenditures
of the three tiers of government are the concern of the monthly FAAC
meetings.
“It is important to acknowledge the
efforts of governors who are working hard to overcome the current
revenue challenges facing their states without resorting to character
assassination and the blame game.”
“It is clear
that this is the latest chapter of a political witch-hunt by elements
who are attempting to use the respected National Economic Council for
ignoble purposes having failed abysmally in their previous attempts to
tar the Okonjo-Iweala name”.
“We believe that
Nigerians are too smart to be hoodwinked by this partisan desperation to
tar the name of Okonjo-Iweala. In the interest of the country, we
advise that public officials should avoid the temptation to politicise
economic issues so that balanced analysis can lead to real solutions.”
Oshiomhole
had also earlier accused Okonjo-Iweala of plunging the country into
debt in order to settle Federal Government expenses during her time in
office.
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