SEEK ADVICE FROM OKONJO IWEALA OVER ECONOMIC RECESSION

Chairman of the Champion Newspapers, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, while addressing the members of the African Youth Parliament from 50 African countries, led by the Nigerian representative, Ibrahim Mohammed in Owerri, Imo State capital, has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari to seek advice on economic from a former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as a way to tackle and rescuing the country from recession and enjoined Nigerians to generate fresh ideas rather than attribute blames and give excuses.

With the present economic dwindling, no foreign investor would invest in the country; businessman warned.

 Explaining on the need for Buhari to seek help from the former minister of finance, for the betterment of economy, Iwuanyanwu said, 

When Nigeria was in this type of mess some years ago, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, called on Okonjo Iweala to help. Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan also used her to revive the country’s economy. 

Nigeria, at this present stage of economic hardship and downturn, should also call on Okonjo-Iweala and others for help. We are in a recession now, if care is not taken, we shall go into depression soonest.

"It will be recalled that a former member of the House of Representatives and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Hon. Bitrus Kaze, had advised Buhari to eat the humble pie and reach out to the likes of former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonji Iweala, to help the nation come out of its current dwindling economy."

He advised

If I were President Buhari, I would eat the humble pie and go after this woman. She is a world class,an economist, she is highly respected in world economic institutions like IMF, World Bank, among others.

The elder statesman also scowled the merging of ministries to one body, adding that there was no way such supervising minister would perform a miracle in his or her responsibilities.

He said

In fact, he (Buhari) should separate Works, Housing and Transport ministries and appoint a minister each for the ministries.

The former minister, however earlier respond in serving in the current administration, even if invited, opinion that;

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.

The former Managing Director of World Bank stated;

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 leave those managing the economy to do what they know how to do.