-Gov Peter Mbah, Women Affairs Minister Felicitate Okonjo-Iweala
Igbo apex body, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed confidence that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala would continue to discharge her duties with requisite prudence and diligence as the Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO.
Igbofacts reports that Okey Emuchay, Ohanaeze’s Secretary-General, said the organization is proud of Okonjo-Iweala for her reappointment as the WTO DG.
In a statement by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, Emuchay described Okonjo-Iweala as one of the few Nigerians who are committed to a decent life.
Ohanaeze qualified Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the summary of virtues, a quintessential Igbo in character, ingenuity, elegance and integrity.
Noting that the WTO DG abhorred corruption and is the characteristic mundane hubris in power, Emuchay recalled that she initiated institutional reforms to reduce corruption in Nigeria.
The statement reads: “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide joins numerous admirers across the globe to felicitate a renowned erudite scholar, development economist, astute administrator, moral edifice, author, two-time Nigerian minister for Finance, trailblazer, and an exemplary Igbo daughter, Dr Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her re-election as the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“We are not surprised that Okonjo-Iweala has maintained a steady upward trajectory in public life. She is one of the few Nigerians who are committed to a decent life. She not only abhorred corruption and the characteristic mundane hubris in power, but she also initiated institutional reforms to reduce corruption in Nigeria.
“She introduced bureaucratic mechanisms to increase transparency in public offices. It was the suave Okonjo-Iweala that spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club for debt relief for Nigeria, including an outright cancellation of US $18 in debt, under President Olusegun Obasanjo. She is one of the few women who have made the Forbes list of 100 Most Powerful Women in the world for seven years; and many more.
“There is no gainsaying her victory for a second term as the Director-General of the WTO derives from her untainted pedigree and stellar performance in the first tenure.
“We are very confident that you will continue to discharge your duties with requisite prudence and diligence. We are very proud of you.
“On behalf of all the structures of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, please accept our felicitations and goodwill as always.”
Meanwhile, Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has congratulated Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her reappointment as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO.
Mbah, however, said that the development did not come to him as a surprise, given her great leadership of the organisation so far in her first term.
The governor said in a statement by his SSA on Media (External Relations), Uche Anichukwu, “On behalf of the Government and good people of Enugu State, I congratulate you on your reappointment, which is a testimony to your exceptional leadership of the organisation in your first term.
“You remain one of Nigeria’s greatest exports to the world and your experience, deep knowledge, and global goodwill have no doubt counted greatly in repositioning the WTO towards achieving its goals and mandate. We can only urge you to keep excelling and keep making us proud.”
In a related development, Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has hailed the reappointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), describing her reappointment as an inspiration to Nigerian women and girls.
The minister said in a statement that Okonjo-Iweala has broken the barrier as both the first woman and the first African to head the organization, serving as an inspiring example for Nigerian women and girls.
“On behalf of all Nigerian women, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her reappointment as DG of the WTO. This is a well-deserved testament to her tireless commitment to fostering global economic progress and equity,” she said.
