The federal executive session yesterday held a valedictory session for outgoing Minister for Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, who has been appointed the deputy secretary-general of the UN.
She is expected to resume at the UN on March 7, 2017.
Before her appointment as UN deputy secretary general, she had previously worked at the UN as special adviser to the former secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon. She was also senior special assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on the Millennium Development Goals and was appointed as environment minister by President Muhammadu Buhari 15 months ago.
Acting president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who chaired the session, described the out-going minister as a role model to Nigerian women.
He said he was enthralled by the level of her knowledge which accommodates different issues and her insightful contributions at council meetings.
According to him, Mohammed had sought his advice on accepting the job and he had told her that it would be easier to find a replacement for her as minister but a Nigerian may never have the opportunity of serving in that capacity for a long time.
While pointing out that there may be pressures on Mohammed especially because she’s from Nigeria, Osinbajo jokingly added that “the only problem is that she speaks too fast. I have asked her to talk slowly and she is doing better now.”
Some of her colleagues also lauded her achievements, describing her as a gift from Nigeria to the world.
The out-going minister, who could not hide her emotions while giving her address, said she was proud to be the one to fly Nigeria’s flag up there at the United Nations, promising to give it her best shot.
Mohammed thanked the acting president and urged him to convey her gratitude to the president for giving her the opportunity to serve.
She said Nigeria’s flag will fly high on the 38th floor of the United Nations building as she resumes.
“This is for the young girls and women” she said.
Source: Leadership
