A rare insight into the past physical challenge of the coordinating
minister of the economy and minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala emerged yesterday when she disclosed that she survived
cancer 15 years ago affirming the scare is not the end of life.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
She spoke at the service of songs for the late Oronto Douglas, special
adviser to the president on research and documentation that held in
Abuja last night.
The service was attended by a cross section of the society from civil
society, government, the media, the clergy among others.
President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by Senator Anyim Pius
Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, at the
service which remarkably brought together his associates from both
sides of the political divide including former Governor Kayode Fayemi,
Pastor Tunde Bakare who brought greetings from General Muhammadu
Buhari, ministers, former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Senator-Elect Ben Murray Bruce,
deputy managing director of Thisday, Mr. Kayode Komolafe among several
others.
In her remarks at the occasion, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said: "Oronto and I
had two similarities in life, we both had cancer. I had my last
surgery, 15 years ago and I shared my experience with him," she said,
narrating how she repeatedly sought to encourage him using her triumph
over the disease.
Tributes from several speakers centered on how Oronto built bridges
across political divides. Dr. Fayemi, Hon Uche Onyeogocha leading
members of the All Progressives Congress, APC spoke in that direction
and they were buttressed by Pastor Bakare.
Tributes also came from former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of
Bayelsa State, Dr. Sam Amadi, chairman National Electricity Regulatory
Commission, Rev. Nnimmo Bassey, Yinka Odumakin, Ken Saro Wiwa among
others.
... Denies appointing PWC to audit NNPC
Meanwhile, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday, denied appointing
Price WaterHouse Coopers to conduct the forensic audit of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Reacting to a suit against her, filed by SIAO Partners, a group of
three accounting firms, over breach of Nigeria's local content laws,
Okonjo-Iweala in a statement, wondered why the aggrieved firms could
not do their work thoroughly to determine certain basic facts about
the issue.
The statement, signed by her Special Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu,
said, "It has come to the attention of the Coordinating Minister for
the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that SIAO
Partners, a group of three accounting firms, has filed a suit against
her before a Lagos High Court.
--Vanguard
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