Okonjo-Iweala Calls for Political Accountability Amidst Rising Insecurity in Nigeria
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and former Nigerian finance minister, has urged Nigerian politicians to cease leveraging insecurity for political gain. Speaking at the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held at Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, she delivered a keynote address titled, “A Social Contract For Nigeria’s Future.”
During her address, Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the interdependence of security and socio-economic development: “We cannot have socio-economic development without security. We certainly cannot have security without development.” She highlighted the troubling political trend where security issues are manipulated by politicians to undermine opponents, often at the cost of innocent lives and property. “This has to stop,” she asserted.
Okonjo-Iweala also addressed the issue of crude oil theft, describing it as “intolerable.” She pointed out that technological innovations exist to tackle this problem effectively and insisted that those responsible for protecting national assets must act without further excuses. “A second aspect of security relates to the security of national assets. Nigerians have seen for years how organised crude oil theft on a massive scale seriously undermines the economic and financial health of the country. All Nigerians must agree that stealing of our national assets of any type is intolerable and must be stopped.”
She remarked on how such theft has negatively impacted the nation’s foreign reserves and encouraged timely and decisive action to combat it. The event gathered notable personalities, including former Ghanaian President John Mahama and the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem. President Bola Tinubu was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, alongside other government officials.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and former Nigerian finance minister, has urged Nigerian politicians to cease leveraging insecurity for political gain. Speaking at the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held at Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, she delivered a keynote address titled, “A Social Contract For Nigeria’s Future.”
During her address, Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the interdependence of security and socio-economic development: “We cannot have socio-economic development without security. We certainly cannot have security without development.” She highlighted the troubling political trend where security issues are manipulated by politicians to undermine opponents, often at the cost of innocent lives and property. “This has to stop,” she asserted.
Okonjo-Iweala also addressed the issue of crude oil theft, describing it as “intolerable.” She pointed out that technological innovations exist to tackle this problem effectively and insisted that those responsible for protecting national assets must act without further excuses. “A second aspect of security relates to the security of national assets. Nigerians have seen for years how organised crude oil theft on a massive scale seriously undermines the economic and financial health of the country. All Nigerians must agree that stealing of our national assets of any type is intolerable and must be stopped.”
She remarked on how such theft has negatively impacted the nation’s foreign reserves and encouraged timely and decisive action to combat it. The event gathered notable personalities, including former Ghanaian President John Mahama and the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem. President Bola Tinubu was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, alongside other government officials.
