The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said a former Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, pleaded with him not to tell Nigerians that the country was broke.
Amaechi, who said the country went into recession under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, added that the previous administration covered up with the excuse that the country was cash-strapped.
According to the report, Amaechi alleged that Okonjo-Iweala, begged him to stop saying Nigeria was broke in order not to drive away investors from the country.
Amaechi, who was the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum at the time, explained that the economy went into a recession due to excessive borrowing.
He said, “People just pick up words without knowing what they mean. Even under Goodluck (Jonathan) we went into recession.
“I am one of those who participated in the budget. We looked at what happened in the past and we discovered that actually if recession means three times (three quarters of negative economic growth), we have done more than the three times before we came in.
“The difference is that while our government is transparent and open, we are able to admit that, the Federal Government was saying even to me as chairman of governor’s forum, ‘Amaechi, don’t say that again’.
“If you remember as governor, I said we were broke. The minister of finance came to my office in Abuja and pleaded with me that I shouldn’t say it again. That if I said it, it would affect Nigeria in terms of investment; that investors will run away. That I shouldn’t say we are broke. I should say we are cash-strapped. That was what Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told me.
“So, I knew as chairman of Nigeria Governors’ forum, that we had gone into recession under Goodluck. I knew as chairman of governor’s forum. And when I open my mouth to say it, that we are broke, she spoke to me not to say it.”
Source: Punch
original interview on THE OSASU SHOW
*Ma'am is this true?
Mtchewww!!! Stella, even if it's true, they handled it well. Perfectly well.
ReplyDeleteTalkative!!! Go and do ur transport job
@jasmine 👍🏾
DeleteThis same guy that led to the depletion of the ECA has no moral justification to say anything about us being broke.
DeleteHe claimed he can save for his state and theres no need 2 have a general purse.
Abegy they should spare us the semantics jor.
DeleteSame way they are arguing whether "padding" of the budget was the right word to use, or adjustment/input.
The point is, was there a misappropriation in the budget, or are we in recession, simple.
But does this make sense? She spoke to you not to say it and you agreed? For your mind now, you love Nigerians abi? Yet you 'saw' danger coming and you were 'bribed' with 'Abeg' to keep quiet you agreed. So this betrayal didn't start today. Innocent Nigerians were your first victims before GEJ.
DeleteWhen will all this stories stop, ah.
ReplyDeleteCounter attack from Mrs Iweala asap
ReplyDelete*Larry was here*
Stupid Amaechi
ReplyDeleteThe country went into recession and they were able to salvage the situation thanks to Ngozi.
Now y'all dumb ministers under this administration don't know shit and only made things worst.
Only talk talk
Olodo bunch.
Wetin be this Sister Ameachi problem sef..?Na jonathan rape your mama or rape your wide anus?why all this nonsense mrs rotimi amaechi bukohari?all ye pipu are FAILURE make una all go die for somewhere,Heavily kwarupt pipu.
ReplyDeleteLolz
DeleteAmaechi,another confused fool, soon you will be truthful like mbaka,one by one u all shall bow in shame, watch
ReplyDeleteok another can of worms is bout to open, enuf of the blame game already. mhen arent you all tired? coz i am tired of this endless blame game. how long will you APCheaters keep blaming the past administration? damn!!! get to work Mr Minister.
ReplyDeleteThis man too dey talk sef
ReplyDeleteA Traitor and a bloody Liar
ReplyDeleteThis man should just shut up!...
ReplyDeleteWe are talking about the present and you are still living in the past...that's why Nigeria is so backward...
Tueh...
The kaikai never clear for him eyez.
DeleteMinister of Transportation, please do your job.
ReplyDeleteThis is the future we are talking about now.
Do your job !!!!!
We were feeding well and enjoyed during Gej,s regime, now we r all hungry , no money so shut up,the last government was better,bring back our corruption,bring back Ngozi Okonjo Iwela who understood the economy,this new government lack vision,they know nothing about ruling,so sad that we r all in this for three more years,too far
ReplyDeleteI just weak!!! Give us the corruption back and we can continue living well abeg
DeleteOriegwu!!!
ReplyDeleteIf at all its true, then she is a wise woman, considering the reason she gave. You cannot tell your daughters suitor that she's a liar, a drug addict and a criminal and expect the marriage to continue.
ReplyDeleteStella this your boo is becoming a talkative.
the question is what did he propose then after to enable okonjo liberate nigeria frm dt,, what idea did he contribute instead of talking empty.
ReplyDeleteStupid Amechi
ReplyDeleteAmaechi,Amaechi. It is your time to shine(in this case,talk)
ReplyDeleteContinuuuu
I love Madam Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Akuko uwa!
ReplyDeleteNigerians r already tired of this change ..
ReplyDelete. The mistake they made was not thinking about the kindna charge that the change carried.
What is astonishing is that there are Nigerians who believe the economy problems we have today just materialized "out-of-the-blue" under this Buhari dispensation. It is astonishing that we manage to believe such things. What is true is that the fruit we are reaping today came from seeds planted way before.
ReplyDeleteNa solution I dey find... no be talk-talk.
Hmmmmmmm
Deleteseeking unnecessary attention, post office party ( APC )
ReplyDeletethis just shows amaechi is a man that cannot keep secrets. U cannot tell him things in confidence because the way his mouth has being running like tap without control in this administration; na wah
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if Nigeria was broke in GEJ's regime then its safe to announce that Nigeria is now penniless and in abject poverty in this regime thanks to Amaechi's party's bloated budgets, incessant travels etc
Confused people.
ReplyDeleteAmaechi please just take a sit here \____
ReplyDeleteBut why is Amaechi and bubu like going backward
ReplyDeleteIs Amaechi trying to blame Mrs Ng or what?
ReplyDeleteUsing 'cash trapped' is appropriate than broke.
Mad dog that shakes his tail anyhow.
Amechi talk talkative man
ReplyDeleteOga Amaechi, i started believing that the colour of the sky is"pink" the day you told Rivers people that you have never received a bribe before.
ReplyDeleteOnukwube
ReplyDeletemr talker.
ReplyDeleteAmaechi that disturbed Ngozi to share excess crude oil money? You must be a very stupid man. That is the difference btw a trained economist and the babyface Kemi that cannot differentiate head from tail. Dnt worry, Niger Delta will never forget you as th e traitor and our children shall tell your children in future. A good name is better than silver and gold and ministerial post.
ReplyDeleteAmaechi is demented and the evil spirits in that his stomach are beginning to rumble.
ReplyDelete#thatnigerdeltagirl