In an effort to commence the implementation and actualization of the change agenda of the present administration, newly appointed ministers in President Muhammadu Buhari’s Federal Executive Counci have hit the ground running.
The cabinet is coming almost six months after the President took oath of office on May 29, 2015 following his victory over ex-president Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general elections.
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola on arrival at his duty post, promised that his ministry would among other things ensure that roads are designed and built in such a way that they would stand the test of time.
The minister also assured Nigerians of steady power supply and appealed, “Let us design and build roads and houses that will stand the test of time. We want to know if some of those problems are man-made or systemic.”
Fashola also said his thoughts were on the need to collectively galvanize the three ministries under his supervision for effective and smooth administration such that they would ensure and guarantee success.
The former Lagos State governor also called on the civil servants in his ministry to come forth with information on how best to move forward, what has been done and what is left undone.
Power, Works and Housing are three of the major challenges facing Nigeria that need to be fixed as quickly as possible.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh took the same zeal to his ministry when he vowed to reduce Nigeria’s $32 billion yearly food import bill as a matter of priority.
Chief Ogbeh also expressed concern about the over-dependence on oil and gas by previous administrations which is no longer profitable, thereby putting pressure on the agricultural sector for the purpose of earning foreign exchange.
According to him, “Oil and gas served Nigeria well. We did not manage the resources well. We can’t blame oil and gas. Now the pressure is on the agricultural sector.”
The minister admitted, “The demand out there is very high if we can produce the right quantity and quality. We have to intensify research, marketing of food. We have to deal with reducing the import burden of food, almost $32 billion a year. We have to decide all of us. I don’t know how somebody can explain importing banana into the country or Irish potatoes from South Africa or vegetables from South Africa onto our shores.”
Similarly, the Minister of Transportation, Chief Chibuike Amaechi promised that under his supervision, the ministry will ensure that it revives and extends the rail system of transportation to every nook and cranny of the country where necessary, and above all, ensure that only air-worthy aircraft properly licensed would be allowed to fly in the country henceforth.
According to the former Rivers state governor, the revival and extension would boost economic activities; he also called on staff of the ministry to resist the temptation of engaging in sharp practices as he would not be in a position to defend any of them.
He equally pleaded with them not to offer him any bribe or money, stressing that the era of impunity is over: “We should not give room to corruption. If you are asked to pay, you pay. If your aircraft licence expires and if some aircraft are in bad shape, they should not be allowed to fly because human lives will be lost.”
The minister also reminded the staff of the ministry of the enormity of work required, adding that such challenge does not warrant any form of praise-singing.
Also to hit the ground running was the Minister for Interior, General Abdurrahman Dambazzau (rtd), who promised that his ministry would ensure that measures are put in place to guarantee internal security of the country.
Senator Chris Ngige, the minister of Employment and Labour promised that his ministry will take the driver’s seat in the quest for job creation for the teeming unemployed Nigerians in fulfilment of the campaign promises of the present administration.
His words, “We will be at the forefront of the battle to stop the scourge of unemployment. We must as a people put on our thinking caps so that we can chart the way forward for employment generation.”
The minister also stated that the ministry would serve as the catalyst and change agent of the present administration, stressing he would strive hard to deliver on its mandate.
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who heads Ministry of Solid Minerals, a sector believed to be equally a top priority of the Buhari administration.
Considering its untapped potentials, the minister stressed the need and plan of government to re-position the sector as a major contributor to the economic growth of the country, adding that everything that needs to be done to get the sector up and running would be done.
For the Minister of Communications Technology, Mr Adebayo Shittu, it was a promise to ensure that telecommunications and Information Technology become the nation’s cash cow under the present administration.
According to Shittu, “We can tap on the agriculture to recover lost grounds in terms of revenue generation and finances. But this takes time. God has helped us in this country with our large population that uses telecommunication and IT in their daily lives.
“That means that telecommunications will serve as the new cash cow for the country and I am going to pursue this and I want all of you in the ministry to join me in evolving policies that will make us have the best that we can in terms of income generation from telecommunication technology.”
It was the same from Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, where Alhaji Mohammed Bello promised to work closely with all stakeholders in order to achieve the mandate of the President by taking Abuja to a greater level.
With policy statements from the the ministers soon after they were inaugurated and assigned portfolios, what Nigerians expect is how they will match their words with actions and deliver on the promises All Progressives Congress (APC) made to the people during the campaigns.
-Leadership
