By Olamilekan FAWAS
The newly-appointed Acting Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, on Monday when she assumed office, said Nigeria faces serious revenue challenges and the economic team should find solution to it.
Ahmed was appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday to replace Kemi Adeosun, who resigned.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Dr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, and other directors of the Ministry, on Monday, received the Supervising Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed in Abuja.
Ahmed while addressing members of staff of the ministry who had gathered to receive her, said going forward, she would work closely with the Permanent Secretary to catch up on the activities of the Ministry.
She said: “These are very challenging times for our country. It means we are part of the economic team that has been charged with making sure there is economic stability in our country.
“We have very serious revenue challenges and it is up to us to shore up the revenues of this country.
“Mr President has a lot of confidence that we can do this. We are working for Mr President, but at the end of the day, we are working for the benefit of the citizens of our country.
“There are a lot of sacrifices that I know that you have done, and we are going to push ourselves to still do more so that at the end of the day we will say Alhamdulillah– glory be to God,” she said.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Zainab Ahmed to oversee the Ministry of Finance after the resignation of Mrs Kemi Adeosun.
Before her new appointment, Ahmed was the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning.
Ahmed also held several critical positions in the past including the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Managing Director, Kaduna Investment Company, to mention but a few.
