Tinubu to Ministers: NIGERIANS DESERVE BETTER LIFE

Akani Alaka

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday told his new ministers that Nigerians expect them to hit the ground running to meet their expectations and delivery of his promise during the campaign for the 2023 election.
President Tinubu spoke after the 45 ministers were inaugurated at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
“Nigerians expect you to hit the ground running just as we had promised them during our campaigns. With your inauguration today, you have become ministers of the Federal Republic not ministers of a particular state or region.
“Nigerians expect a lot and they deservedly want to see changes in their lives. You are now in the same boat with me and they expect that their lives would take a new and better turn,” he said.
Tinubu said that the new ministers reflected the different diversities of the country and were chosen for their track record of success and achievements in their various fields of endeavours.
The President noted that his administration came at a time that the country needed renewal and reforms in all ramifications.
“The challenges we face today are daunting but we have the opportunity to implement long-due reforms that would bring about peace, safety and prosperity of our people as contained in our renewed hope agenda.
“We are about to accelerate our governing efforts, move forward and realise our aspirations for Nigerians. Tremendous responsibilities follow this appointment and all of you are expected to contribute your quota to deliver accountable, efficient and effective service to Nigerians.
“Your assignment begins immediately and you must work to make yourself worthy of God and the people to make Nigerians believe that the right hands are chosen. I believe in you and government can be a progressive way to gain public confidence and trust,” he said.
Those sworn in are former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike as Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Adegboyega Oyetola (Marine and Blue Economy), David Umahi (Works), Festus Keyamo (Aviation and Aerospace Development), and Betta Edu (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation).
Also among those sworn in are Bosun Tijani (Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy), Ishak Salako (State, Environment and Ecological Management), Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Adegboyega Oyetola (Marine and Blue Economy), Adedayo Adelabu (Minister of Power), Tunji Alausa (State, Health and Social Welfare), Dele Alake (Solid Minerals Development), Lola Ade-John (Minister of Tourism), Sa’idu Alkali (Transportation), and Bunmi Tunji-Ojo (Interior).
Others are Doris Anite (Industry, Trade and Investment), Uche Nnaji (Innovation Science and Technology), Nkiruka Onyejeocha (State, Labour and Employment), Uju Kennedy (Women Affairs), David Umahi (Works), Abubakar Momoh (Niger Delta Development), Betta Edu (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation), Ekperikpe Ekpo (State, Petroleum Resources — Gas), and Heineken Lokpobiri (State, Petroleum Resources — Oil).
The new ministers also include John Enoh (Sports Development), Hannatu Musawa (Art, Culture and the Creative Economy), Mohammed Badaru (Defence), Bello Matawalle (State Defence), Yusuf T. Sunumu (State Education), Ahmed M. Dangiwa (Housing and Urban Development), Abdullah T. Gwarzo (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Atiku Bagudu (Budget and Economic Planning).
Also sworn in are Mairiga Mahmud (State, Federal Capital Territory), Bello M. Goronyo (State, Water Resources and Sanitation), Abubakar Kyar (Agriculture and Food Security), Tahir Maman (Education), Yusuf M. Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), Ali Pate (Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare), Ibrahim Geidam (Police Affairs), U. Maigari Ahmadu (State, Steel Development), and Shuaibu A. Audu (Steel Development).
Others are Muhammed Idris (Information and National Orientation), Lateef Fagbemi (Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice), Simon B. Lalong (Labour and Employment), Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim (State, Police Affairs), Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties and Inter-Govermental Affairs), Joseph Utsev (Water Resources and Sanitation), and Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (State, Agriculture and Food Security).

Agenda for Ministers

Ahead of the swearing-in, the 45 ministers were busy over the weekend completing the documentation in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Abuja necessary for them to assume office.
The ministers assembled at Aso Rock presidential villa on Monday morning where they were formally constituted into the cabinet of Tinubu who assumed office as the 16th Nigerian president on 29 May, 2023.
In an unusual move, each of the ministers had known the ministries they will be heading to even before they were sworn in following the release of the portfolios assigned to them last Wednesday. Thus, as they took office on Monday, stakeholders in the different sectors covered by their portfolios and Nigerians generally have been setting agenda for them.
The focus has been on ministers whose portfolios, at least on the very surface, have to do with the day-to-day well-being, security and general welfare of Nigerians.
This is especially against the increasing unemployment, hunger, rising cost of living and general hardship inflicted by the twin policies of removal of petroleum subsidy and floating of the naira by President Tinubu on the assumption of office.
Turn Around The Economy

Therefore, one of the ministers whose many Nigerians’ eyes are on is Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy.
Analysts said by his designation, he is expected to coordinate activities of other ministries, especially as they relate to the economy, a function similar to what Dr Okonjo Iweala, now the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, was saddled with as a member of the cabinet of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Thus, he will have the responsibility of coordinating the cabinet’s response removal of fuel subsidy-induced ballooning inflation rate and his cost of living which the World Bank had predicted will push millions of more Nigerians into poverty before the end of the year.
While setting the agenda for Edu, the Director, of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, noted that the Nigerian economy is in a stumbling and fragile state and in dire need of a new direction.
He, therefore, harped on the need for Edun to put in place a good economic governance framework and a technically-sound team to give guidance and direction on general economic policy direction, policy conceptualisation and urgent reforms.
Yusuf said the minister should avoid state capture and expand the role of markets for value delivery and boosting of private enterprise in the economy. He also advocated that the minister should ensure robust monitoring and evaluation framework are in place to regularly review the effectiveness and impact of the Tinubu government’s economic policies and regulatory practices as well as regular stakeholder engagement by key government agencies to ensure proper alignment of policies with investors sentiments.
The Director of CPPE said Edun should prioritise macroeconomic stability with emphasis on moderating inflationary pressures, stabilising the exchange rate and boosting economic growth.
He also urged the minister to reform the tax regime to ensure efficiency in tax administration, reduce tax evasion and tax avoidance and eliminate multiple taxation and unlock more income from revenue-generating agencies through enhanced efficiency of their operations.
He also urged the minister to initiate budget reforms to ensure fiscal discipline, curb budget padding, and duplication of projects and ensure a review of the service-wide votes to ensure transparency.
The former director general of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria also said Edun should ensure value for money in government expenditure and procurement, commit to a reduction in the cost of governance and optimise the utilisation of national assets to unlock liquidity.
He advocated reform of foreign exchange to unlock inflows of capital into the economy, reduce arbitrage in the forex market and improve transparency in the forex allocation.

Increase Access To Healthcare For All Nigerians

Another key portfolio that will have a significant impact on the lives of Nigerians is health and social welfare assigned to Prof. Ali Pate.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, a professor of public health, served as Nigeria’s Minister of State, Health, from July 2011 to July 2013 and Chief Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency from 2008 to 2011.
He also served as the Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population and Director of the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents at the World Bank Group.
Thus, stakeholders believe that he has enough experience in the sector and have been setting agenda for him ahead of his assumption of office. According to the Managing Director, Society for Family Health (SFH), Mr Omokhudu Idogho, Pate’s major focus should be on the total reconfiguring of the healthcare sector by ensuring a comprehensive shift towards community-centric approaches across all facets of health and social welfare.
He also wants the minister to focus on establishing the right financial mechanisms that will enhance access to affordable healthcare by Nigerians, especially, the vulnerable segment of the population: “We call upon Pate to initiate targeted strategies that rectify health inequalities faced by poor and marginalised groups, thereby fostering an equitable healthcare landscape,” he said.
Idogho also insisted that the minister must ensure the implementation of policies, and guidelines that would empower Nigerians to make informed and health-promoting choices. “Lastly, we highlight the pressing need to tackle the brain drain phenomenon, which corrodes effective healthcare service delivery and imposes substantial financial losses with far-reaching implications for both lives and the economy.”
He said Pate’s wealth of global experience would be instrumental in shaping the future of healthcare while promising collaboration with him toward the shared objectives of universal health coverage and global health equity.

Agric, Works, Others

Also, stakeholders said former governor Umahi who has been assigned the works portfolio has his work cut out for him given the current state of major roads across the country. Yet, another key portfolio is that of agriculture, especially given the rising prices of food and the consequent hunger in the land.
The President appointed Sen. Abubakar Kyari as the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security to lead his policy to ensure an abundant food supply for Nigerians. However, stakeholders in the sector said the minister must collaborate with major stakeholders for the sector’s growth and food security across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
They also want him to set up a solid team of industry professionals from all the value chain agro-enterprise across the country, including young agripreneurs. “The minister needs to have stakeholders’ engagement to fully understand the agricultural ecosystem beyond farming. It is important that the minister works together with stakeholders and be open to feedback, so we do not continue with the trial and error of past administration on food security,” Mr Akin Alabi, co-founder of Corporate Farmers said.
In addition, Mr Godwin Egbebe, National Publicity Secretary, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), called for collaboration with the various agriculture associations, so people at the grassroots could be reached easily. He also called on the minister to reach out to the various agriculture associations and local governments to drive policies to the grassroots and ensure that palliatives given to the farmers get to the right people.
For the incoming Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, the expectation is that he will toe the path of Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai who put up a stellar performance when he was in charge of the capital city for over 16 years ago. Unfortunately, El-Rufai’s successors have not lived up to the task of making Abuja a capital city worth its name, with the last minister, Mohammed Musa Bello, said to be the worst.
Stakeholders expected that Wike will repeat the feat he achieved in the development of infrastructure as Rivers governor in the FCT. “We recognise his strong track record as a visionary leader, and we firmly believe that his appointment as the minister of FCT will pave the way for significant advancements and positive changes within the capital territory,” Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA) said in a congratulatory message to Wike.
HOFA said it is confident that Wike’s tenure as the minister of FCT would be marked with progressive policies, sustainable development initiatives, and a focus on improving the lives of the residents and businesses in Abuja.
In Kogi, expectations were that the appointment of former governor of the state Shaibu Abubakar-Audu as Minister of Steel Development will lead to the completion of the 34-year-old Ajaokuta Steel Complex.
“By appointing a distinguished Kogi indigene with a rich background in investment and banking, is a clear testament to the fact that our leader and president is well prepared to renew our hope. This is largely because Prince Shuaibu Abubakar-Audu is a technocrat with the requisite competence to make steel development a cardinal part of our economic recovery plan,” Kingsley Fanwo, the Kogi Commissioner for Information said.
He added that Shuaibu’s appointment had gone to show that “the Ajaokuta Steel Complex is as good as completed already”.
In the same vein, stakeholders expect the appointment of Mr Bosun Tijani as the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to lead to positive transformation in the country’s technological landscape.
“With his presence, international affiliations and track record, the prospect of attracting a surge of angel investors in the Nigerian start-up ecosystem becomes more plausible. With his leadership, he will harmonise government support to the sector, bring the industry and government together, and ensure propitious policies, incentives and funding initiatives.
“We hope to see architectural infrastructure development, talent development, global partnerships, enhanced research and development, as well as encouraging entrepreneurial culture,” Young Innovators of Nigeria (YIN) said in a statement by its founder Andrew Abu.
Similarly, stakeholders expressed optimism that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu would bring his wealth of experience, proven track records and understanding of economic dynamics to bear in his new role in the energy sector. They also expected Adelabu to drive sustainable energy solutions that would reshape the landscape of power generation as well as distribution.
“His forward-thinking strategies will surely address critical issues such as energy access, infrastructure development and renewable energy adoption. As Adelabu assumes his new role, we, his people, citizens and industry stakeholders alike are filled with optimism. Yes, by His grace, his leadership will lead to a power sector that not only meets the needs of today but also paves the way for sustainable and prosperous tomorrow,” a political group named Adelabu Support Group said.
Also, Goge Africa, a tourism and cultural media brand urged the new Tourism Minister, Ms Lola Ade-John, to focus on infrastructure development. Managing Director of Goge Africa, Nneka Isaac-Moses in an interview said Ade-John should focus on building infrastructure like roads, airports, and hotels as well as fixing the existing roads leading to most tourism sites which are in a deplorable state.
She also advised the minister to invest in tourism marketing and promotion by creating a national tourism brand, developing marketing campaigns, and promoting Nigeria at international tourism trade shows. She also urged the minister to consider working in partnership with the private sector and stakeholders to further advance the sector.
“The new Ministry of Tourism will need to address these challenges to make the industry more competitive and become a major economic driver,” she said.
Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) said the new Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy can generate over N7 trillion in annual revenue for Nigeria if well managed by the new minister, Adegboyega Oyetola. “Nigeria is a maritime nation and must advance policy issues to tap into the absolutely massive economic opportunities,” Agbakoba charged the Minister.
Also, stakeholders said Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General should concentrate on policy and not politics while ensuring disobedience of court orders by the Federal Government becomes a thing of the past in the country.
On the other hand, Heineken Lokpobiri the Minister of State Petroleum Resources has been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that Nigeria’s refineries are back to life to ensure local refining of products. No doubt, one area that most Nigerians will expect a change is the area of security with the continuous slaughter of people by bandits, terrorists and criminals in different parts of the country.
In the list released by the presidency, President Bola Tinubu assigned the responsibility for keeping Nigerians safe to five ministers. The Ministers are former governors Mohammed Badaru and Bello Matawalle who are the minister Minister of Defence and Minister of Defence (State) respectively. There is also the Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam and the Minister of Police Affairs (State) Imaan Sulaiman.
However, some security experts have condemned the President over the appointments. They especially noted that the Minister of Defence, unlike the situation in the immediate past was not a former military officer. Yet, there is no doubt that Nigerians will expect the ministers to end the ongoing slaughter of Nigerians in various theatres of violence across the country in the shortest possible time.