President Muhammadu Buhari says the appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has brought honour to Nigeria.
Buhari said this via a series of tweets posted by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, in his official Twitter handle @GarShehu, on Monday.
“Buhari warmly felicitates with former Minister of Finance and Economy, Dr @NOIweala on her election as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation bringing joy and more honour to the country,” the statement read.
The President said he believed that, considering Okonjo-Iweala’s past record of integrity and diligence, she would continue to yield positive results to mankind.
“As the Harvard-educated and renowned economist takes up another onerous task of service to the world and humanity, the President believes her track record of integrity, diligence and passion for development will continue to yield positive results and rewards to mankind,” Shehu wrote.
Buhari affirmed that over the years, Okoonjo-Iweala had set major records on economic reforms in Nigeria as minister of finance and later minister of foreign affairs.
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Buhari further reiterated his assurance that the newly appointed WTO DG would excel in her new position and validate the global mandate of repositioning and strengthening the multilateral institution for the greater good of all.
The ICIR had reported that the General Council of the WTO Monday confirmed the selection of Okonjo-Iweala as the DG of the global trade organisation.
Her tenure, which is renewable, will run from March 1, 2020, until 31 August, 2025.
Her appointment followed a nine-month selection process after the resignation of Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as WTO DG on 31 August 2020, a year before the expiry of his mandate.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94