The immediate past Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has written a congratulatory letter to the Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under his government, Ms. Arunma Oteh, saying that her recent appointment as Vice President of the World Bank has vindicated him over her choice to serve his government.
“It is a vindication of the decision of my Administration to stand by you, believing in your abilities and competence, even when questions were being raised in some quarters over your choice.”
The former President who also wrote similar letter to the minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina who is now President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, said of Oteh: “I am particularly pleased that you are being rewarded and elevated on the world stage, after serving your country meritoriously, at a time I was the President. This is a clear testimony to your capacity, high integrity, and tenacity of purpose.”
Dr. Jonathan expressed delight with the fact that Oteh was going to her new job, fresh from the experience of having led the recovery and growth initiatives of the Nigerian Bourse in the wake of the decline, occasioned by recent global economic recession and financial crisis.
He expressed the conviction that the experience she gathered as Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria (SEC) would give her deep insights on how to tackle the peculiar challenges of a developing nation.
“The World Bank can draw from this to ensure that its future partnerships with emerging economies in Africa and other parts of the world are anchored on policies that will lead to sustained growth and development, which is a sine qua non for lifting millions of people in the developing world out of mass poverty.”
To Adesina, the former President said that given his exemplary record of performance, while serving as the Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in his cabinet, he had no doubt that he would deploy his energy and the bank’s resources to ensure that Africa experiences a new era of accelerated development.
“You were not only a critical voice in my economic team, you also walked the talk, and earned the praise of our countrymen and women, by ensuring that Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in food production became an achievable dream.
“I am particularly pleased with your emergence as the AfDB boss; a development, I believe, has come as a reward for having served your country meritoriously. It also attests to the fact that my Administration had a good team that managed the affairs of the country.”
