No dollar pay for Okonjo-Iweala, others - Jonathan

Minister of Finance Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday said the new Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and other Nigerians engaged by his administration from the Diaspora would not be paid in dollars or any other foreign currency.

Jonathan, who gave the assurance at the swearing in of Okonjo-Iweala at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, said they would all be paid in Nigeria‘s currency, the Naira.

Jonathan also said Okonjo-Iweala would coordinate the 24-member National Economic Management Team.

There had been unease over Okonjo-Iweala‘s alleged demand for dollar-denominated remuneration, as was the case when she served in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In that dispensation, she served as finance minister and later foreign affairs minister.

While she was finance minister, her counterpart in Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olu Adeniji, also earned a dollar-denominated salary.

Both of them were paid under the Diaspora Fund of the United Nations Development Programme.

The issue led to a suit by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), which was eventually resolved by a Court of Appeal judgment that declared the salaries illegal.

still in need of some information? search this site:

LOVE THE ARTICLE ABOVE?
Receive Updates: subscribe to Imo Herald in a reader or sign up for Free Email Updates