Okonjo-Iweala Says she will not Serve in Buhari's Government, Even when called upon



Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, has said she would not serve in
the government of President Muhammadu
Buhari, even if invited.
Okonjo-Iweala said this on Monday during a
programme on Al Jazeera, The Stream.
She said this was because Nigeria boasts of
competent people.
She said it was better to allow those managing
the economy now to do the best they could,
noting that there could be solutions to the
present economic decline in the country.
Okonjo-Iweala, who served in the
administrations of former Presidents Olusegun
Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan for seven
years, said: “One of the things you learn as you
get wiser is to talk less as you grow older.
“I have spent my time contributing to the
country.
“It will be better to live those managing the
economy to do what they know how to do.
“There can be solutions.
“I am not a typical politician.
“I went in as a technocrat.
“I think on the continent we have seen a period
when the economy was doing well.
“In the last two years we have been
experiencing challenges.
“We need to focus on the basics, which are
macro-economics.
“You must get the fundamentals like having a
stable exchange rate and having inflation under
control.
“I served my country for seven years and it was
a great honour.
“The second time was very tough but it is still an
honour.
“I am not the only person who is a repository of
knowledge.
“There are other people who can equally try
their hands in running the economy.
“I will advice young people not to wait for
employment.
“They should create jobs to employ six people or
more.
“During my time in government, we had a
programme called ‘You Win’ designed to
support young entrepreneurs.
“The whole idea was to have a business plan
competition.
“The idea was that they should create jobs.
“And each created nine to 10 jobs.
“The World Bank did an evaluation of it and
found it good.
“I do believe that the government should come
in.
“We started a peer to peer mentoring.
“Now, one of the things I want to say is that
creating employment is not only about struggles,
it is about managing success.”

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