Politics
Even under Jonathan Nigeria was in recession –Amaechi
Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, Tuesday, said the country went into recession during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He also disclosed that former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, begged him not to tell Nigerians that the country was broke.
Amaechi stated these on the Osasu Show.
Continuing, the minister said Okonjo-Iweala said he should stop saying the country was broke so that investors would not run away, adding that the nation’s economy went into recession because of excessive borrowing.
He said: “People just pick up words without knowing what they mean. Even under Goodluck (Jonathan) we went into recession.
Read also: What we are doing to solve epileptic power supply – Buhari
“I am one of those who participated in the budget. We looked at what happened in the past and we discovered that actually if recession means three times (three quarters of negative economic growth), we have done more than the three times before we came in.
“The difference is that while our government is transparent and open, we are able to admit that, the Federal Government was saying even to me as chairman of governor’s forum, ‘Amaechi, don’t say that again’.
“If you remember as governor, I said we were broke. The minister of finance came to my office in Abuja and pleaded with me that I shouldn’t say it again. That if I said it, it would affect Nigeria in terms of investment; that investors will run away. That I shouldn’t say we are broke. I should say we are cash-strapped. That was what Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told me.
“So, I knew as chairman of Nigeria Governors’ forum, that we had gone into recession under Goodluck. I knew as chairman of governor’s forum. And when I open my mouth to say it, that we are broke, she spoke to me not to say it.”
By Timothy Enietan-Matthews
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