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.
An online medium, The Cable, reported that Amaechi said this on the Osasu Show on Tuesday.
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.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
We re! Idiot! Why are you saying it now? Idiotic tout. You lack credibility and make you reasonable people no longer take you seriously. Come 2019 all of you and APC will be shown the way out. Then ...your full story will start to emerge. Akwuya!
ReplyDeleteAmaechi you have started running your mouth again, of what importance were you to the last government that you will be begged not to speak out. Have you not said worse things about GEJ. What sort of beer parlour talk is this one
ReplyDeleteThis just confirmed ur foolishness. She begged U to cover up and u did. Does that not make U (Chibuike Amaechi) a coward? As a wise man, its either u say it then or keep silent forever. Saying it now means U ARE A COWARD And A FOOL.
ReplyDeleteTHAT IS JUST AN EVIDENCE OF FOOLSIH MINISTER IN POWER HE SHOULD BE SHOWN THE WAY OUT WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.
ReplyDeleteAgain & again it's all about Jonathan. Enough!
ReplyDelete"Dollars" Ameachi, you, Buhari & APC should get to work resolving Nigeria's financial dilemmas & stop giving Nigerians pitiful excuses.
To work man! You guys are in charge now so stop trying to fool everybody. Dumb.
Can this man just keep quiet and work????????
ReplyDeleteAnd only you is the person who knows it as governor's forum chairman?. Make we dey call you "man wey sabi" There is no lie APC cannot manufacture.
ReplyDeleteAs a financial expert,if she encourages anybody to say Nigeria is broke and investors run away,it is a complication to Nigerians problem.She is right to beg .
ReplyDeleteMr minister was there anything wrong in what she said ie is a matured mind. U talk too much.
ReplyDeleteMtsheeew...
ReplyDeleteHissssss! don't do ur work & be saying stories.
ReplyDeleteAll of u are a Ram...
ReplyDeleteWawa kawai
ReplyDeleteWawa kawai
ReplyDeleteWawa kawai
ReplyDeleteAmeachi na yeye man take it or you leave it
ReplyDeleteRoll your sleeves and get to work , time that waits for no one is ticking fast
ReplyDelete