Strong indications emerged yesterday that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, current managing director of the World Bank and former minister of Finance during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, has finally accepted to serve in President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
A top Presidency source told BusinessDay on Thursday in Abuja that the World Bank’s managing director accepted the offer last week, on condition that she returns to the Finance ministry to help the government manage the nation’s economy.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the president has also agreed to her terms to direct the economic team which the president himself is to chair.
Okonjo-Iweala met with President Jonathan on Thursday at the Plaza Hotel in New York for over an hour before the latter returned to the country after a high level meeting of the United Nations (UN) on HIV/AIDS.
“President Jonathan is happy that Okonjo-Iweala has finally agreed to serve in his government.
Her coming on board will help stabilise the government and with her wealth of experience at the World Bank, the government will enjoy a lot of goodwill from the international community,” the source told our correspondent.
Late President Umaru Yar’Adua had laboured frantically to get the former minister on board his government but failed to convince her to relinquish her job. However, she succeeded in recruiting Mansur Mukhtar for the government.
“This is really good news for Nigeria,” the source said; adding that “working with the likes of Olusegun Aganga, the immediate past minister of Finance, would be great for the country.
“Aganga is another credible individual that will boost the economic direction of the government and having Okonjo-Iweala and Aganga will be wonderful for the government.
“President Jonathan is going to surpass the economic achievements of Obasanjo because his choice of these two great minds is unbeatable,” the source stated further.
Though it was not clear at the time of filing this report where Aganga would be moved to, BusinessDay investigations revealed President Jonathan was considering a very strategic ministry for the former minister where he could contribute greatly to the economic development of the country.
It was further gathered that the president may merge ministries and create new ones that will focus more on investments and industrialisation drive of the country.
Meanwhile, contrary to media reports, some of the ministers allegedly screened by the State Security Services (SSS) were yet to appear before the security outfit.
Three of the nominees, who spoke to BusinessDay on Thursday, said the reports were untrue and that nobody had invited them for screening.
