New Ministers taking their oath of office
Many Nigerians expect the new ministers to live up to expectations as change agents. EMMANUEL OLADESU, RAYMOND MORDI, LEKE SALAUDEEN, JOSEPH JIBUEZE and TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO capture public expectations from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
NIGERIANS yesterday reacted to the allocation of portfolios to 36 ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Though, their views were diverse, they, however agreed that much is being expected from members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
A former commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abubakar Tsav, said as long as President Buhari has found them suitable for appointment, they are eminently qualified for the roles. He said they will justify the confidence reposed in them.
The former police chief said that apart from the Ministry of Justice which must be manned by a lawyer as stipulated by the constitution, anybody found suitable by the President can be deployed in any ministry.
He said: “I’m sure former governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State would do well. I’m also sure his former Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, will also do well, because the current Ministry of Transport also has water transport as part of it and this is the mode of transportation he is familiar with in Rivers State. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Muhammed Bello, is also a fine gentleman, who is also likely to perform well in the position. I know him very well; he was formerly the Chief Executive of the National Hajj Commission.”
Tsav said since the country has problems with the power sector, Fashola has a challenge on his hands to fix the ailing sector. “It is a big challenge, but I’m sure he will give a good account of himself, as he did in Lagos State,” he said.
The onus, he noted, is on Amaechi to convince Nigerians that he is a man of integrity, who was wrongly accused of corruption when he was governor. “The appointment is an opportunity for him to prove that he is a man of honour and integrity,” he added.
A psychologist, Mr. Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan, described Fashola as a round peg in a round hole in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
“Given his experience in Lagos, he should be able to justify the confidence reposed in him by many Nigerians, including President Buhari, who has given him a chance to replicate what he did in Lagos on a larger scale.
The Southeast Secretary-General of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo, said: “The President has the discretion to choose those he deems suitable for the cabinet, particularly those who would help him bring about the ‘change’ he promised Nigerians. No matter how we feel about it, I don’t think we have the right to choose people for him. However, since we are in a democracy, we will speak out if we think that there are people who are not competent in some areas.
“To start with, I think it is wrong to lump power, works and housing together into one ministry; it is too much for one person to handle. It might be difficult for Mr. Babatunde Fashola to coordinate the ministry, given the challenges in the inherent parts. Any President who knows his onions should know that power constitutes the greatest challenge in the country.
“After power, the other challenge is road. As for housing, Nigerians are used to building their own houses without assistance from government. So, there should be no problem in that sectorh. I think the challenge would be too much.”
Chukwuokolo said the appointment of the Delta State-born Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu is good for the country. “I think Kachikwu is good in that area and it is one of the appointments that would satisfy the expectation of Nigerians,” he noted.
The human rights activist however registered his dissatisfaction with the appointment of Abubakar Malami from Kebbi State as the Minister of Justice. He said: “I watched him during the screening. In my view, somebody who could not explain the difference between our legal system and that of the United Kingdom is not suitable to occupy that position.”
Commissioner for Home Affairs in Lagos State AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef urged the ministers not to betray the trust and confidence reposed in them by the President. He said the change must not be derailed.
Abdulateef said: “The ministers must not betray the confidence reposed in them by President Buhari. He has led this change mantra and Nigerians are restoring hope in the ability of President Buhari to effect the change. The President has done very well by reducing the number of ministries, which translate to reduction in cost of governance. The cost reduction must be justified by the new ministers.”
The commissioner enjoined the ministers to block the leakages in governance and ensure accountability. This, he said, would aid the delivery of democratic dividends to Nigerians.
His worsd: “The ministers must compliment the President’s wind of change. Leaders must get it right and the President is providing the right leadership. So, the ministers must equally replicate leadership in their various ministries, ensuring that the campaign promises – provision of uninterrupted power supply is achieved, development of infrastructural facilities and enhancement of living standard of the people – among others.
“They must not make themselves liabilities to this administration. Rather, they should all add value. They should emulate the selflessness of President Buhari and ensure that despondency gives way to hope by being accountable,” he said.
Lagos House of Assembly member Oladele Adekanye hailed the President for selecting a good team to assist him.
He said the Solid Minerals & Power, Works and Housing ministers will add value to the administration.
Adekanye urged the ministers to hit the ground running and live up to expectation.
“The masses are impatient because of their experience under the immediate past administration. They should quickly implement programmes that are targeted at ameliorating the sufferings of the masses.”
Osun lawmaker Olatunbosun Oyintiloye expressed great optimism that the ministers, by virtue of their backgrounds and experience, would bring a lot of innovation to governance.
He said: “The ministers will no doubt take their brief from Mr. President, adopt a blue-print and follow action plans. However, we need to subject our march forward to critical examination, scientific evaluation, the National Assembly, of course, will play its oversight role, we must be willing as a government to periodically review, update and address critical barriers, based on circumstances and changing needs.”
Hailing the emergence of Malami as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, lawyers said that he will succeed because he has the experience.
A luminary, Norrisson Quakers (SAN), highlighted the challenges before him. He listed the tasks as: prompt and efficient prosecution of politically-exposed persons; strengthening of enforcement and prosecuting agencies; transparency in management of foreign aids for prison management and strengthening the rule of law.
A former Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) President, Mrs. Boma Ozobia, urged him to improve on the administration of justice.
She said: “That necessarily implies justice for all, not just those who can pay for good legal representation. Our prisons and police cells are clogged with innocent citizens. The criminal justice system needs a total overhaul to deal with this shameful state of affairs.”
A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) First Vice-President, Mrs. Funke Adekoya, (SAN), said: “Allegations of corruption need to be speedily and impartially investigated, and where a case is made, it must be speedily prosecuted. In-house capacity building in the Federal Ministry of Justice, the EFCC and all other prosecuting arms should be a major focus.’’
Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) expects the replication of the Lagos Model with modifications in the country’s justice administration.
He said: “I expect a comprehensive reorganisation of the anti-corruption agencies to ensure that their mandates are realised; strengthening of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) by giving it adequate funding and manpower to execute its functions; reorganising Legal Aid Council to ensure that its objectives are fully realised; comprehensive reform of many of our laws to bring them up to date.”
Former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, faulted the lumping of Works, Housing and Power ministries. He queried: “How can such work? May be, that is another experiment from Buhari. But, it is somehow disturbing. Let us wait and see.”
Second Republic lawmaker Dr Junaid Muhammed said there is nothing wrong in assigning two or three ministries to a minister to supervise. According to him, the merger of the ministries was in fulfillment of President Buhari’s promise to reduce the cost of governance.
However, he said Fashola may find it difficult to cope with three ministries.
Junaid stressed: “The scope of the portfolios assigned to the former Lagos governor Fashola is very wide. He was named Minister of Power, Works and Housing.
“When you look at power generation and distribution alone, it is a heavy responsibility; it cost a lot of money and require huge manpower to maintain. I don’t know how he and the minister of state will cope.”
On the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, Junaid said the former Anambra State governor is competent to handle any ministry because of his experience in the civil service.
He said: “ The fact that he is a medical doctor doesn’t mean that he cannot perform outside the health sector. Most medical doctors are good managers of resources.”
Legal luminary Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) urged Fashola to fix the federal roads that are in a state of disrepair. He said the minister will be judged by the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan, Onitsha-Enugu, Enugu-Port-Harcourt, Owerri-Port-Harcourt, Benin-Auchi-Okene-Lokoja expressways.
Akintola said the Abuja roads are not exempted. The state of roads in Apo, Nyenyen and Gwagwalada are terrible. Motorists spend hours on journey that should not take more than 30 minutes. The minister has a lot to do. He has his job cut out for him. Nigerians deserve good road network, he emphasised.
He advised the Minister of Justice to do something urgently about judicial administration particularly the issue of corruption threatening the system. “The Minister of Justice should tackle the issue of corruption in the judiciary in line with the President’s anti-graft war. He also called on the minister to initiate constitutional amendments that will enhance the implementation of government policies,” he said.
Former NBA chair, Ikeja Branch, Mr Monday Ubani, aligned with Akintola on the urgent need to reform the judiciary. According to him, “the judiciary must be reformed, our judiciary is not efficient and corruption must be tackled”.
Ubani urged the Finance Minister to come up with proposal on diversification of the economy because Nigeria cannot afford to depend on oil.
“We can’t continue to run mono-economy which is inimical given our recent experience with the fall of oil price,” Ubani said, advocating the setting up of crack economic team that will rejuvenate the economy which he said was in shambles.
Many Nigerians expect the new ministers to live up to expectations as change agents. EMMANUEL OLADESU, RAYMOND MORDI, LEKE SALAUDEEN, JOSEPH JIBUEZE and TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO capture public expectations from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
NIGERIANS yesterday reacted to the allocation of portfolios to 36 ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Though, their views were diverse, they, however agreed that much is being expected from members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
A former commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abubakar Tsav, said as long as President Buhari has found them suitable for appointment, they are eminently qualified for the roles. He said they will justify the confidence reposed in them.
The former police chief said that apart from the Ministry of Justice which must be manned by a lawyer as stipulated by the constitution, anybody found suitable by the President can be deployed in any ministry.
He said: “I’m sure former governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State would do well. I’m also sure his former Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, will also do well, because the current Ministry of Transport also has water transport as part of it and this is the mode of transportation he is familiar with in Rivers State. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Muhammed Bello, is also a fine gentleman, who is also likely to perform well in the position. I know him very well; he was formerly the Chief Executive of the National Hajj Commission.”
Tsav said since the country has problems with the power sector, Fashola has a challenge on his hands to fix the ailing sector. “It is a big challenge, but I’m sure he will give a good account of himself, as he did in Lagos State,” he said.
The onus, he noted, is on Amaechi to convince Nigerians that he is a man of integrity, who was wrongly accused of corruption when he was governor. “The appointment is an opportunity for him to prove that he is a man of honour and integrity,” he added.
A psychologist, Mr. Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan, described Fashola as a round peg in a round hole in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
“Given his experience in Lagos, he should be able to justify the confidence reposed in him by many Nigerians, including President Buhari, who has given him a chance to replicate what he did in Lagos on a larger scale.
The Southeast Secretary-General of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo, said: “The President has the discretion to choose those he deems suitable for the cabinet, particularly those who would help him bring about the ‘change’ he promised Nigerians. No matter how we feel about it, I don’t think we have the right to choose people for him. However, since we are in a democracy, we will speak out if we think that there are people who are not competent in some areas.
“To start with, I think it is wrong to lump power, works and housing together into one ministry; it is too much for one person to handle. It might be difficult for Mr. Babatunde Fashola to coordinate the ministry, given the challenges in the inherent parts. Any President who knows his onions should know that power constitutes the greatest challenge in the country.
“After power, the other challenge is road. As for housing, Nigerians are used to building their own houses without assistance from government. So, there should be no problem in that sectorh. I think the challenge would be too much.”
Chukwuokolo said the appointment of the Delta State-born Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu is good for the country. “I think Kachikwu is good in that area and it is one of the appointments that would satisfy the expectation of Nigerians,” he noted.
The human rights activist however registered his dissatisfaction with the appointment of Abubakar Malami from Kebbi State as the Minister of Justice. He said: “I watched him during the screening. In my view, somebody who could not explain the difference between our legal system and that of the United Kingdom is not suitable to occupy that position.”
Commissioner for Home Affairs in Lagos State AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef urged the ministers not to betray the trust and confidence reposed in them by the President. He said the change must not be derailed.
Abdulateef said: “The ministers must not betray the confidence reposed in them by President Buhari. He has led this change mantra and Nigerians are restoring hope in the ability of President Buhari to effect the change. The President has done very well by reducing the number of ministries, which translate to reduction in cost of governance. The cost reduction must be justified by the new ministers.”
The commissioner enjoined the ministers to block the leakages in governance and ensure accountability. This, he said, would aid the delivery of democratic dividends to Nigerians.
His worsd: “The ministers must compliment the President’s wind of change. Leaders must get it right and the President is providing the right leadership. So, the ministers must equally replicate leadership in their various ministries, ensuring that the campaign promises – provision of uninterrupted power supply is achieved, development of infrastructural facilities and enhancement of living standard of the people – among others.
“They must not make themselves liabilities to this administration. Rather, they should all add value. They should emulate the selflessness of President Buhari and ensure that despondency gives way to hope by being accountable,” he said.
Lagos House of Assembly member Oladele Adekanye hailed the President for selecting a good team to assist him.
He said the Solid Minerals & Power, Works and Housing ministers will add value to the administration.
Adekanye urged the ministers to hit the ground running and live up to expectation.
“The masses are impatient because of their experience under the immediate past administration. They should quickly implement programmes that are targeted at ameliorating the sufferings of the masses.”
Osun lawmaker Olatunbosun Oyintiloye expressed great optimism that the ministers, by virtue of their backgrounds and experience, would bring a lot of innovation to governance.
He said: “The ministers will no doubt take their brief from Mr. President, adopt a blue-print and follow action plans. However, we need to subject our march forward to critical examination, scientific evaluation, the National Assembly, of course, will play its oversight role, we must be willing as a government to periodically review, update and address critical barriers, based on circumstances and changing needs.”
Hailing the emergence of Malami as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, lawyers said that he will succeed because he has the experience.
A luminary, Norrisson Quakers (SAN), highlighted the challenges before him. He listed the tasks as: prompt and efficient prosecution of politically-exposed persons; strengthening of enforcement and prosecuting agencies; transparency in management of foreign aids for prison management and strengthening the rule of law.
A former Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) President, Mrs. Boma Ozobia, urged him to improve on the administration of justice.
She said: “That necessarily implies justice for all, not just those who can pay for good legal representation. Our prisons and police cells are clogged with innocent citizens. The criminal justice system needs a total overhaul to deal with this shameful state of affairs.”
A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) First Vice-President, Mrs. Funke Adekoya, (SAN), said: “Allegations of corruption need to be speedily and impartially investigated, and where a case is made, it must be speedily prosecuted. In-house capacity building in the Federal Ministry of Justice, the EFCC and all other prosecuting arms should be a major focus.’’
Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) expects the replication of the Lagos Model with modifications in the country’s justice administration.
He said: “I expect a comprehensive reorganisation of the anti-corruption agencies to ensure that their mandates are realised; strengthening of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) by giving it adequate funding and manpower to execute its functions; reorganising Legal Aid Council to ensure that its objectives are fully realised; comprehensive reform of many of our laws to bring them up to date.”
Former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, faulted the lumping of Works, Housing and Power ministries. He queried: “How can such work? May be, that is another experiment from Buhari. But, it is somehow disturbing. Let us wait and see.”
Second Republic lawmaker Dr Junaid Muhammed said there is nothing wrong in assigning two or three ministries to a minister to supervise. According to him, the merger of the ministries was in fulfillment of President Buhari’s promise to reduce the cost of governance.
However, he said Fashola may find it difficult to cope with three ministries.
Junaid stressed: “The scope of the portfolios assigned to the former Lagos governor Fashola is very wide. He was named Minister of Power, Works and Housing.
“When you look at power generation and distribution alone, it is a heavy responsibility; it cost a lot of money and require huge manpower to maintain. I don’t know how he and the minister of state will cope.”
On the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, Junaid said the former Anambra State governor is competent to handle any ministry because of his experience in the civil service.
He said: “ The fact that he is a medical doctor doesn’t mean that he cannot perform outside the health sector. Most medical doctors are good managers of resources.”
Legal luminary Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) urged Fashola to fix the federal roads that are in a state of disrepair. He said the minister will be judged by the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan, Onitsha-Enugu, Enugu-Port-Harcourt, Owerri-Port-Harcourt, Benin-Auchi-Okene-Lokoja expressways.
Akintola said the Abuja roads are not exempted. The state of roads in Apo, Nyenyen and Gwagwalada are terrible. Motorists spend hours on journey that should not take more than 30 minutes. The minister has a lot to do. He has his job cut out for him. Nigerians deserve good road network, he emphasised.
He advised the Minister of Justice to do something urgently about judicial administration particularly the issue of corruption threatening the system. “The Minister of Justice should tackle the issue of corruption in the judiciary in line with the President’s anti-graft war. He also called on the minister to initiate constitutional amendments that will enhance the implementation of government policies,” he said.
Former NBA chair, Ikeja Branch, Mr Monday Ubani, aligned with Akintola on the urgent need to reform the judiciary. According to him, “the judiciary must be reformed, our judiciary is not efficient and corruption must be tackled”.
Ubani urged the Finance Minister to come up with proposal on diversification of the economy because Nigeria cannot afford to depend on oil.
“We can’t continue to run mono-economy which is inimical given our recent experience with the fall of oil price,” Ubani said, advocating the setting up of crack economic team that will rejuvenate the economy which he said was in shambles.
The Nation
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