A former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has faulted the claim made by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, that the money left behind by the administration of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan could not last for three weeks.
Amaechi had made the statement when he appeared on Channels Television’s programme titled, ‘Hard Copy’.
He said, “As former chairman of the governors’ forum, I was told by the security in a meeting chaired by the former President, including the former minister of finance, that at every point in time, the government must leave money behind in case Nigeria goes to war that would last for six months. By the time we came, they didn’t leave money behind that could last us for three weeks. And I was speaking at that time as the chairman of the governors’ forum.”
Reacting, Chidoka who served as a minister under Jonathan said Amaechi’s comment is rather unfortunate and not supported by facts readily available in the public domain.”

He said this in a statement titled ‘Gov. Amaechi’s Statement on 2015 Foreign Reserve: Setting the Records Straight.’
Chidoka said, “As a member of the Federal Executive Council that handed over to the current administration, I am disturbed that this urban myth of “empty treasury” is still the subject of conversation by a senior government member.
“Also, I am confused about what the Honourable Minister means when he says, “By the time we came in,” as he was not appointed minister until six months after the May 29 Handover. Since he was not a minister on the handover date, it may be pertinent to present him with the facts again.
“On May 29, 2015, President Buhari inherited a foreign reserve of $28.6 billion, according to official data still present on the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as well as $5.6 billion Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Limited dividends. Also, a 2015 budget of over 4 trillion Naira was handed over to the incoming administration by the outgoing Jonathan government.
“Furthermore, the Jonathan administration left a total of $2.2 billion in the Excess Crude Account on May 29, 2015. (As verified by the Ministry of Finance both by the immediate past minister and the incumbent).
“To further create context, I would like the Minister of Transport to note the country’s economic indices after 1849 days of President Jonathan’s Presidency from May 06 2010, the date he took over from President Umaru Yar’Adua to the Handover date of May 29, 2015.
“On May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari inherited an economy that, by the testimony of the World Investment Report, prepared by the Geneva-based United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), was the number one destination for foreign direct investment in Africa. In the five years of President Jonathan, Direct Foreign Investment stood at about 35.25 Billion Dollars. You can compare this to the 11.55 Billion Dollars Direct Foreign Investment received from 2016 to 2020.
“The Jonathan administration handed over a $550 billion economy (largest in Africa and 26th globally) and a diversified economy. On May 29, 2015, President Jonathan left behind an economy with a stable currency, where the Naira exchanged for N199 to $1, and Nigeria had a single-digit inflation rate. Today, after 2,406 days of the current administration, headline inflation rate hovers above 15 per cent.

“Under President Jonathan, the unemployment rate stood at 7.5 per cent (better than European Union) today. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, six and half years after Governor Amaechi’s government came in, unemployment is 33 per cent.
“Before the government came in, Nigeria’s poverty rate was 32 per cent as of May 2015. We need not compare it against 71 per cent today after 78 months of President Buhari’s administration.
“Our External debt as of May 2015 stood at $7.3 billion, the Gini coefficient (degree of inequality) was not different from China’s as of 2015. In 343 weeks and four days of the current administration, our external debt has ballooned to $37.9 billion as of September 2021. It is important to point out that over 48 per cent are bilateral and commercial loans.
With the facts above, I am sure that the Minister of Transport will rethink his fixation on the past and focus on the clear and present danger of an economy on the path to Argentina – sovereign debt default.
“In the face of declining revenues, available public data revealed that external debt servicing gulped $1.82 billion between January and September 2021; this is 43.9 per cent higher than the $1.27 billion spent in the corresponding period of 2020.
“In the same period of January to September 2021, Domestic debt servicing rose to N1.74 trillion from N1.53 trillion recorded in the same period of 2020.
These issues should worry the Honourable Minister, coupled with unlocking the asphyxiating gridlock that Apapa port has created in the economy.
“2,406 days after, a clear 557 days (One year five months) more than President Jonathan governed Nigeria; this administration’s economic policies and heightened insecurity have left the country comatose.
“Minister Amaechi and the APC government should stop this perennial blame game and focus on redeeming its tattered image by signing the electoral bill passed by a legislature it controls.”

https://punchng.com/amaechi-wrong-on-money-left-behind-by-jonathan-says-osita-chidoka/

Amaechi is a talkative and talkative he remained.

Anything from this terrorist infested buhari led government/maladministration should be perceived as lies from miles away.


@Seniorwriter

Who we go come believe now?

Jidemoo:
Who we go come believe now?

Did you see any fact in what amechi wrote?

According to him, someone told him that.....

So, he isn't even sure whether what he heard was right or not.

Jidemoo:
Who we go come believe now?

you have seen the verifiable facts and figures yet you don't know who to believe Wonderful

Jidemoo:
Who we go come believe now?

Dem give you facts with address you still dey ask of who to believe.... Na person like you go still vote Tinubu say e go change Nigeria overnight

Osita defending his former boss while Amechi defends his current boss.
In my opinion, they don't care about anyone but themselves.

MASTAkiLLAh:
you have seen the verifiable facts and figures yet you don't know who to believe Wonderful

Well.... Different updates from different folks.

Everyday new Tori....na e dey confuse local man.

This guy is like Peter obi giving him fact,I like the part he said the minister came in after six months

The figures are there no lying about this

government of lies. a big shame. amechi sef no sabi lie.

Abfinest007:
The figures are there no lying about this

my brother give us source to back up your fact

Apc zonbbees would still find an excuse to be foolish

This man gave Amaechi the stark illiterate, whose monstrous ignorance doesn't permit him to reconcile facts with presidency gossips, fact-based technical knockout.

Ameachi gave us a "someone" told me tales since he was appointed six-months after the country was run on "body language odour" of the president, so he might not be able to come up with any data

trutht828:

Did you see any fact in what amechi wrote?

According to him, someone told him that.....

So, he isn't even sure whether what he heard was right or not.

Ameachi won't be able to produce any since he only got appointed after the country was run on body odour of Buhari

Lol


Jonathan left the best economy in the universe, but he couldn't pay salary without taking loan.

Cholls:
my brother give us source to back up your fact

osita has already given u source

This is evidence that Amaechi is indeed a stark illiterate and opportunist.

Rotimi Amaechi as with anything relating to the present shameless satanic government, have lies richly engrained in their DNA.

JAMO84:
Lol


Jonathan left the best economy in the universe, but he couldn't pay salary without taking loan.

Buhari is borrowing but still owing workers 3 months salary.

Jidemoo:
Who we go come believe now?

who dey quote "VERIFIABLE FACTS" wey you fit check for all the mentioned Organizations?

Greed and ego go join hands kill this amaechi one day.

Everybody that worked in Jonathan administration were educated

Buhari and his megida cabinet wee be spewing trash without facts

minks:
Osita defending his former boss while Amechi defends his current boss.
In my opinion, they don't care about anyone but themselves.

You just want to pretend the facts are there

another1:
Amaechi is a talkative and talkative he remained.

Lying talkative

Just

With all your imaginary money, you still borrow borrow hundreds of billions to pay workers salaries every month till your last day in office,you still declared austerity measures, you still looted every kobo available, and you still did not commission anything, no road, no bridge, no hospital, no refinery, no electricity, nothing, just looting and stealing.

Nigeria was so broke that they declared austerity measures just months before handing over to PMB.

If you had money, why declare austerity measures?

Why borrow hundreds of billions to pay salary?


Bunch of useless thieves and incompetent clowns.

is a and... Huh, check my PROFILE if you need help with your dissertation, assignment, or thesis.

all this idiots posting about Fg borrowing money to pay salaries but dey forgot to check the date the article was posted was 2015 while jonathan left by 2019 but to comprehend na problem for these nonentities