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Tag: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

  • COVID-19: Ikpeazu appoints Okonjo Iweala, Arunma Oteh, others into Abia economic team

    The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has approved the appointment of Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as a member of the state Post COVID-19 Economic Advisory Committee.

    Iweala’s appointment is coming less than 24hrs after she (Iweala) was announced as the Special Envoy for the newly inaugurated World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.

    Another top brass of the Economic Advisory Committee is the former boss of Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Arunma Oteh.

    A release by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chris Ezem, announced that the committee would be chaired by Prof Anya O Anya. Other members of the committee include, Dr. Emeka Onwuka, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuadigbo and Mr. Chris Odinaka Igwe.

    Though the terms of reference of the economic team was not made public, in a chat, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, said the team was set up to advise government on the economic realities occasioned by the impact of the Coronavirus and how to make necessary adjustments in the state’s economic strategy.

    “They will look at the global economic crisis caused by the pandemic and its implications on the Nigerian economy and then ultimately on Abia economy,” Ememanka stated.

     

  • Okowa condoles Okonjo-Iweala over father’s death

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Saturday, commiserated with the Okonjo family and Ogwashi-Uku community on the death of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Prof. Chukuka Okonjo.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Okonjo, the father of a former Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala died on Thursday at 91.

    The governor’s condolence was conveyed in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika in Asaba.

    Okowa also commiserated with the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family over the death of the renowned academic, international public servant and an accomplished traditional ruler.

    He noted that the late monarch was a renowned Professor of Mathematics who devoted his life and time to the promotion of peaceful coexistence and development of education in several parts of the world.

    The governor said that late Okonjo, taught as secondary school teacher, university lecturer and international public administrator.

    He described the deceased as a world class public servant whose love for education was unparalleled and accounted for the successes he recorded everywhere he worked.

    Okowa said, “On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I mourn the passing of a renowned academic, international public servant and traditional ruler of repute.

    “Apart from being the King of Ogwashi-Uku, I believe that the late Chukuka Okonjo will be remembered for his role in refocusing tertiary education in Ghana.

    “It was in the course of this that he developed the double intake system, designed to achieve significant increase in student enrollment rates in Ghana which later earned him the highest civil national award from the Government of Ghana.

    “The award, conferred on him in 2016 by President John Dramani Mahama, was in recognition of his distinguished contributions to that country’s education system.

    “As Director of the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) at the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Okonjo installed the first African population information network.

    “This is popularly known as the Population Information and Documentation System for Africa (POSA), valued at 350,000 dollars,”Okowa said.

    The governor also paid tribute to the deceased’s royal contribution to peace and development, particularly his significant role in ensuring peaceful co-existence between the people of Ogwashi-Uku and their neighbours.

    “My condolences also go to his wife of 66 years, Prof. Kamene Okonjo and former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her siblings, on the passing of their beloved father and renowned academic.

    “I pray that Almighty God will comfort the family and grant the deceased eternal rest and reward his good virtues.”

  • Ex-finance Minister, Ngonzi Okonjo-Iweala’s father is dead

    Ex-finance Minister, Ngonzi Okonjo-Iweala’s father is dead

    Chukuka Okonjo, a professor and father of Nigeria’s former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is dead.

    The mathematics professor was 91.

    His death was announced by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala’s spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu.

    “He died in Lagos soon after he arrived from a trip to the United States of America and Ghana. We are immensely grateful that his last moments were peaceful and that he died the same way he lived his life – with quiet dignity,” the spokesperson said.

    Read the full statement by Mr Nwabuikwu below.

    PRESS RELEASE BY PAUL C NWABUIKWU, MEDIA ADVISER TO DR OKONJO-IWEALA

    “A LOVING FATHER AND A GREAT INSPIRATION“

    A STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF OUR FATHER, OBI (PROF) CHUKUKA OKONJO BY DR NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA

    On behalf of my siblings and relatives of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Uku, I announce the passing of my father, Obi Professor Chukuka Okonjo, the immediate past Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State at the age of 91.

    He died in Lagos soon after he arrived from a trip to the United States of America and Ghana. We are immensely grateful that his last moments were peaceful and that he died the same way he lived his life – with quiet dignity.

    Daddy was an accomplished man on so many levels – a highly respected academic, international public servant, university administrator, intellectual and traditional ruler. He held:
    ▪ BSc Mathematics, London, UK
    ▪ Msc Mathematics, Erlangen, Germany
    ▪ MSc Economics, Erlangen, Germany
    ▪ Phd Mathematical Statistics, Cologne, Germany

    In the course of his rich and rewarding career, he served in many positions, including:

    ▪ Mathematics and Science Teacher, Government College, Umuahia
    ▪ Mathematics and Science Teacher, Western Boys High School, Benin
    ▪ Principal, Ibadan Boys High School, Ibadan
    ▪ Co-founder of the Centre for Demography at the University of Ibadan
    ▪ Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Ibadan
    ▪ Principal Lecturer, Statistics, University of Ibadan
    ▪ Brigadier and Head of the Biafran Organization of Freedom Fighters (BOFF) during the Nigeria/Biafra Civil War
    ▪ Professor of Mathematical Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
    ▪ Founder, Institute of Demography, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
    ▪ Head, Department of Economics and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
    ▪ Founder and Director of the Center for Population Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
    ▪ Economic Adviser, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
    ▪ Professor of Economics, University of Ghana, Legon
    ▪ United Nations Director of the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS), located in Accra, Ghana
    ▪ Education Adviser to the Government of Ghana
    ▪ Founder, Double Intake educational system (adopted by the Ghanaian Government)
    ▪ Member, Nigerian Economic Society
    ▪ Member of the Board of Trustees and Life Patron of ASUU
    ▪ Pro Chancellor, University of Ilorin

    It is a tribute to the kind of life that Daddy lived that, on his 90th birthday last year, a delegation of old students of Ibadan Boys High School presented him with a letter of commendation written in 1953 in which a colonial education administrator praised him highly for the all-round improvements he achieved in the school within a short period of time. He was only 25 then.

    Daddy was a passionate intellectual and prolific writer whose last book was published at the age of 90.

    He touched so many lives personally and professionally and was an unrelenting believer and practitioner in the power of education to transform lives.

    In pursuit of this commitment, Daddy sponsored the education of at least 19 students up to university level in addition to his own seven children. He inspired and motivated so many more.

    Having witnessed the ravages of war, he was committed to unity and peaceful coexistence of all. From his marriage of 66 years to our mother, Professor Kamene Okonjo to his dedication to duty, he was exceptional.

    As his family we remember him most as a loving father and inspiration who showed, by personal example, the value of a life of service anchored on integrity, fear of God and love for others.

    We thank Almighty God for the wonderful gift who was our father.

  • Jonathan’s ex-finance minister, Okonjo-Iweala gets Commonwealth appointment

    Jonathan’s ex-finance minister, Okonjo-Iweala gets Commonwealth appointment

    Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been appointed into a High Level Group on Governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

    Prof. Ben Maloney, Communications Officer, Commonwealth Secretariat, said in a statement that the High Level Group would make recommendations on governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

    The Commonwealth, however, denied that the group was constituted to secretly begin considering who might succeed the Queen as its head.

    “At their last Summit in Malta, Commonwealth heads of government directed the Secretary-General to form the Group.

    “Today members are discussing the scope of the group’s work and the areas of governance it will examine over the coming months.

    “The process is open and the High Level Group reports to the heads.

    “The issue of succession of the Head of the Commonwealth is not part of the Group’s mandate,” the statement said.

    The group is chaired by Anote Tong, former President of Kiribati from 2003 to 2016.

    Okonjo-Iweala, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is among the seven-member group.

    Others include Lord Howell, former British Energy Secretary; Louise Frechette, former UN Deputy Secretary-General; and Robert Hill, former Australian Defence Minister.

    Dame Miller, former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados and Dr George Vella, former Foreign Minister of Malta are also members of the group.

    The group operates independently of the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat and would report only to the heads of Commonwealth governments.

    However, further members may be appointed, the Secretariat said.

    The group is expected to report to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London in April, which is likely to be the last that the Queen would attend.