Stop Taking Nigerians For Granted —Reps Warns Okonjo-Iweala

The House of Reps Committee on Finance has said that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is taking Nigerians for granted. The committee said this in a statement by its clerk, Farouk Mustapha, in their response to comments credited to Okonjo-Iweala in some newspapers. Okonjo-Iweala had said she would need time to respond to the 50 questions given to her by the committee. But the committee said Nigerians will no longer take excuses: “We view this as a welcome development as it denotes a vindication of the decision we took when she appeared before the committee on December 19, 2013. The committee knew that she would need time to answer the questions. “The minister appears to be taking the memories of Nigerians for granted. This was the minister who walked into the meeting with the committee and drew everyone’s sympathy the moment she feebly announced that she was not feeling well.” The committee stated that it was curious then that when the minister was not feeling well she was prepared to address the 50 questions in a session that was to last about two hours. It said now that she was fully fit, hale and hearty, she is saying she would need more time. The committee stated, “It is regrettable that while talking to reporters after the presentation of the report of the 15-year strategic partnership on debt management between UK and Nigeria, the minister accused critics of the huge domestic debt profile under her stewardship of lacking information. “Interestingly, that is why the committee invited her to share such information with Nigerians. It would also be an opportunity to let her know some of the things we know.” The lawmakers said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala should realised that Nigeria know when an economy is okay: "Nigerians will positively feel the impact if their economy is really doing well as the minister claims.”