BEVERLY HILLS, November 13, (THEWILL) – After six months of waiting, the dust which had piled over the non-constitution of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) finally settled, Wednesday, as President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the 36 new ministers.
Before now, the President had been under pressure to form his cabinet with some critics calling him a sectional leader, especially due to the perceived lopsidedness of appointments he earlier made. While some called him a religious bigot, others simply labeled him President of Northern Nigeria.
These criticisms were not entirely unfounded, given that in his earlier appointments, the majority are of northern extraction. But with the inauguration of the new cabinet, the lopsidedness appears to have been largely assuaged. From the portfolios assigned to the ministers, the picture that has emerged is that, both the north and south seem to have had their fair share.
We appreciate the President’s sensitivity in this regard. This is a clear departure from the usual characteristics of a religious and ethnic bigot as he had been named by critics.
In assessing these appointments, the sensitive Ministry of Finance comes under a southerner, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, while that of Defence is manned by a northerner, Mansur Maman Dan Ali. Also, the Ministry of Interior is anchored by Abdulraham Bello Dambazau, a retired General from the north, and that of Justice by Abubakar Malami.
However, the enlarged Ministry of Works, Housing and Power is led by former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, just as Solid Minerals goes to former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi.
Conversely, the Ministry of Science and Technology has Ogbonnaya Onu in the saddle, just as the Transport Ministry is allotted to former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, with Chris Ngige, from the east heading Labour and Employment.
Furthermore, while the Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are assigned to Audu Ogbe and Muhammadu Bello respectively, the Ministries of Budget and National Planning has Udoma Udo Udoma in charge, with Foreign Affairs coming under Geoffery Onyeama, among others.
However, a few issues have been raised. One of such is that the sensitive Ministry of Education is assigned to a journalist, Adamu Adamu, instead of a Professor of Education, Anthony Gozie Anwuka, who is Minister of State for Education. Also there is no youth representation as the Minister of Youths, Solomon Dalong, is over 50 years.
Notwithstanding, what is discernable is that Buhari appears to have consciously balanced the issue of security in the north while conceding the economy to the south.
Our position is that now that a cabinet has been put in place, it is time for the ministers to hit the ground running. So much time has been wasted in the waiting game and the economy which has suffered in the midst must be fixed without delay. We support the stance of Mr. President in directing the ministers to perform without delay. Buhari had admonished that, “our new ministers must proceed to work speedily and justify their inclusion.”
We share in the President’s concern that the economy has depended so long on oil. Therefore, it is time to diversify the economy by exploring the vast opportunities lying fallow in the areas of agriculture and solid minerals. This is against the backdrop that the President reiterated that “we are determined to diversify the economy with agriculture to achieve self-sufficiency.”
As the cabinet settles down, with Vice President Yemi Osibanjo as coordinating minister, we urge all Nigerians to give them the necessary support in this onerous task of nation-building.
