Sunday 3 March 2013

Ghana President Mahama Charges Finance Minister to Compare Notes with Nigeria Economy and Finance Coordinating Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala


Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has admonished the Coordinating Nigeria Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to work closely with her Ghanaian counterpart, Mr. Seth Terkper, and compare notes regularly on the economies of both countries.

Mahama, who handed down the admonition when Okonjo-Iweala paid him a courtesy visit at the State House in Accra, said both countries needed to cooperate on finance and economic matters among others.


The president, who applauded Okonjo-Iweala’s reforms in the management of Nigeria’s finances and economy, said her patriotic disposition, which compelled her to leave her plum position as managing director of the World Bank, was paying off as Nigeria was the better for it.

According to him, while himself and other Africans were saddened by her departure from the Breton Woods institution, as “we love to have a sister like you in the World Bank,” they were glad to see the positive contributions of the minister to the Nigerian economy.

Mahama noted that Ghana and Nigeria needed to share a lot in common, stressing that while Nigeria had moved positively in many of its economic reform programmes, Ghana was hamstrung by some macro-economic challenges.

On regional integration, Mahama said it holds the key to Africa’s growth, regretting that the Francophone, Anglophone divide had been a major drawback.

The Ghanaian leader noted that trade integration would immensely help the West Africa sub-region in particular and the region in general.

Speaking earlier during a visit to her Ghanaian counterpart Terkper,  Okonjo-Iweala congratulated Ghana for joining the league of oil producing countries, admonishing the country to learn from the mistakes of others, and enact positive laws that would make it maximally harness and benefit from its oil wealth.

The minister disclosed that Nigeria was vigorously pursuing an aggressive economic reforms drive, noting that in spite of daunting challenges, the macro-economic indicators have been looking positive.

read more from Sorce: thisdaylive

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