Bimbola Oyesola
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), yesterday charged the Federal Government to provide necessary support that will ensure Nigeria’s candidate, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, gets the keenly contested position of Director General of World Trade Organisation. The TUC President, Quadri Olaleye, said her emergence would reaffirm to the world that Nigerians, nay Africans are great people, a feat the world can confirm by the country’s exploits.
“Okonjo-Iweala needs no introduction both within and outside Nigeria. She spent a 25-year career at the World Bank as a Development Economist, rose to occupy the number two position of Managing Director, Operations (2007–2011) after which she served two terms as Finance Minister of Nigeria (2003–2006, 2011–2015),” he said.
He noted that the question is not whether she qualified or capable of handling the task, but the contest is an aspect of international politics and Nigerians must go all out to play it. He said, “Okonjo-Iweala is a renowned global finance expert, an economist and international development professional with decades of experience, having worked in about five continents. Her exposure is incontrovertible.
“Today, the world economy is on its knees now no thanks to the effect of the global pandemic otherwise called coronavirus. Over 850,000 lives were lost; about 25 million people were infected and over 400 million jobs and hundreds of millions of informal economy livelihoods lost all to the scourge.”
According to him, this is the time the whole world needs Okonjo-Iweala who in time past has spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008-2009 food crises and later in the trying period of the global financial crisis to help navigate the storm.