Kemi Adeosun
Nigeria’s minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has confirmed that she
has finally resigned her position in President Muhammadu Buhari’s
cabinet. She made it known in a letter to Buhari.
Read the letter below:
His Excellency
Muhammadu Buhari
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
State House
Aso Villa
Abuja
Dear Excellency,
Let me commence by thanking you profusely for the honour and
privilege of serving under your inspirational leadership. It has been a
truly rewarding experience to learn from you and to observe at close
quarters your integrity and sense of duty.
I have, today, become privy to the findings of the investigation
into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of
Exemption from National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) that I had presented
was not genuine. This has come as a shock to me and I believe that in
line with this administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the
honourable thing and resign.
Your Excellency, kindly permit me to outline some of the background
to this matter. I was born and raised in the United Kingdom, indeed my
parental family home remains in London. My visits to Nigeria up until
the age of thirty-four (34) were holidays, with visas obtained in my UK
passport. I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of
thirty-four (34) and when I relocated there was debate as to whether
NYSC Law applied to me. Upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I
was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the
age of thirty (30), I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until
recent events, that remained my understanding.
On the basis of that advice and with the guidance and assistance of
those, I thought were trusted associates, NYSC were approached for
documentary proof of status. I then received the certificate in
question. Having never worked in NYSC, visited the premises, been privy
to nor familiar with their operations, I had no reason to suspect that
the certificate was anything but genuine. Indeed, I presented that
certificate at the 2011 Ogun State House of Assembly and in 2015 for
Directorate of State Services (DSS) Clearance as well as to the National
Assembly for screening. Be that as it may, as someone totally committed
to a culture of probity and accountability I have decided to resign
with effect from Friday, 14th September, 2018.
Your Excellency, It has been an exceptional privilege to have
served our nation under your leadership and to have played a role in
steering our economy at a very challenging time. I am proud that Nigeria
has brought discipline into its finances, has identified and is
pursuing a path to long term sustainable growth that will unlock the
potential in this great economy. Under your leadership, Nigeria was able
to exit recession and has now started to lay the foundations for
lasting growth and wealth creation. Repositioning this huge economy is
not a short term task and there are no shortcuts, indeed there are tough
decisions still to be made but I have no doubt that your focus on
infrastructural investment, revenue mobilisation and value for money in
public expenditure will deliver growth, wealth and opportunity for all
Nigerians.
I thank His Excellency, the Vice President and my colleagues in the
Federal Executive Council for the huge pleasure and honour of working
with them. I also thank most specially, the team in the ‘Finance Family’
of advisers and heads of agencies under the Ministry of Finance. Your
Excellency, this group of committed Nigerians represent a range of
backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. They have worked well above and
beyond the call of duty to support me in the tasks assigned. The
diversity in my team and their ability to work cohesively to deliver
reforms, convinces me that Nigeria has the human capital required to
succeed.
Your Excellency, let me conclude by commending your patience and
support, during the long search for the truth in this matter. I thank
you again for giving me the honour of serving under your leadership, it
is a rare privilege, which I do not take for granted. As a Nigerian and
committed progressive, I appreciate you for your dogged commitment to
improving this nation.
Please be assured, as always, of my highest regards and best wishes
Kemi Adeosun (Mrs)