Feb 15 (Lagos) - Dr. Okonjo Iweala has become the first African and first woman to be named as the Director General of the World Trade Organization.
She has served two terms as Finance minister of Nigeria, the later term in the government of Goodluck Jonathan which led to the beginning of series of devaluations for the currency of the country.
Although she is not directly blamed for corruption in that regime, Critics blame her for not speaking up against corruption in that regime as there is a valid case that most of the problems that the country faces today began during that time. Nigeria failed to save when the petrol price was almost $100 a barrel and she was the finance minister at the time.
Her admirers will point to her policy of subsidy removal in 2012 as being the step in the right direction but it lead to nationwide protests. In 2016, the fuel subsidy was eventually removed by the same government which opposed its removal in 2012 when they were in opposition.
We congratulate Dr. Okonjo Iweala for this achievement as she readies to assume office on March 1 2021. There are many challenges that the WTO faces from vaccines to tarrifs, and she is most able person for that job.
reporting for easykobo.com on Monday, Feb 15 2021 from Lagos, Nigeria