New finance minister says “Nigeria is going through challenging time”

Following the resignation of Kemi Adeosun, the Supervising Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, on Monday disclosed that the economy was going through a very challenging time, adding that as a key ministry under the economic team, there was a need for officials of the ministry to work harder to enable the country to surmount the challenges

According to Ahmed, revenue generation had always been an issue for the government, adding that now was the time to come up with workable solutions towards addressing the revenue challenge.

Speaking at the opening session of the meeting, the minister stated, “These are very challenging times for our country. It means we are part of the economic team that has been charged with making sure that there is economic stability in our country.”

Ahmed also added that she would bring her knowledge to bear to overcome the economic challenges facing the country. This, she noted, would be achieved through the support of the Permanent Secretary, Dr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, and the directors of the ministry.

“The finance ministry has overtime been known to have very skilled personnel. From interacting with some of you, I know that there is a lot of skill set within the ministry and that I am in good hands. She said.

While Speaking with all the directors in the ministry, Ahmed said;

“I plan to work very closely with the whole of the directors, most especially with the permanent secretary. I want to declare that today, the permanent secretary is my new next-of-kin. What that means is that I am going to work hand-in-glove with him, and I expect everybody to do the same thing.”

“There are some things I know about finance, but there is a lot that I don’t know; the knowledge resides in you.

She added that: “I have been told that you are preparing handing-over notes, or more correctly, briefing notes; I will be engaging each of you on a one-on-one basis with the permanent secretary so that I can have a complete view of what is in the ministry.”

In 2015, Ahmed Zainab was appointed as the minister of state for budget and national planning by President Muhammadu Buhari. Upon the resignation of the erstwhile minister of finance Kemi Adeosun on September 14, 2018, Ahmed was appointed as finance minister in September 2018.