Browsing: Okonjo-Iweala

The federation account is funded from receipts from oil and other sales (with oil accounting for over 90 percent and taxes – VAT- custom duties etc.). When more crude is produced and sold above the quantity anticipated by the budget for any given year, the funds are by law meant to be kept as future savings in a stabilization account, also known as the excess crude account

As part of the ovation, the University also noted that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had been rated as one of one hundred most powerful women in the world, the third most important woman in Africa and one of one hundred most respected intellectuals in the field of economics

To begin, Nigeria’s overall debt is comprised of external and domestic debts. The external debt is typically owed to foreign creditors such as multilateral agencies (for example, the Africa Development Bank, the World Bank, or the Islamic Development Bank), to bilateral sources (such as the China Exim Bank, the French Development Bank or the Japanese Aid Agency), or to private creditors such as investors in our Eurobonds. The domestic debt, however, is contracted within Nigerian borders, usually through bond issues which are then purchased by Nigerian banks, local pension funds, and other domestic and foreign investors. The resources raised typically go to help fund the budget or other domestic expenditures, such as infrastructure projects. We also have some contractor arrears, and other local liabilities which are normally handled through the budget

In my letter of acceptance, I reflected that I would continue to write opinion articles that will be geared towards making Nigeria a better society that every Nigerian will be proud of. My experiences with great Igbos, Itshekiris and Urhobos formed the fulcrum of my early write ups during my youth service and after I started work at the Government House, Asaba. Their leaders, who took me as their son, protected and provided for my needs. Prof. Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, Chief Paulinus Akpeki and Ugoh of Okpe Kingdom were among some of the great people that made my youth service year and work experience a worthwhile adventure in Delta State

To conclude, Ladies and gentlemen, the 2013 Budget gives priority to our concerns for security, infrastructure, food security and human development. It is a Budget for everyone! For expectant mothers, children and the elderly – there will be increased access to healthcare; for smallholder farmers – there will be greater support from the government for access to market and extension services; and for tax-payers – the government will drive transparency and accountability