Okonjo-Iweala Lands New Appointment

Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been appointed into a High-Level Group on Governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The group, whose creation was said to be directed by the Commonwealth heads of government, is chaired by the former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong.

The communications officer of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Ben Maloney had disclosed that the group’s function was to make recommendations as to governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Other members of the group include Lord Howell, former British energy secretary; Louise Frechette, former United Nations (UN) secretary general; and Robert Hill, former Australian defence minister.

The group operations are independent of the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat and would only report to the heads of the governments.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was the Coordinating Minister of the Economy during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is among the seven-member group.

George Vella, former foreign minister of Malta and Dame Miller, former deputy prime minister of Barbados are also part of the group.