President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated his new cabinet and assigned portfolios to all the ministers. The ball is now in the courts of the ministers and the president’s. Nigerians expect a lot from them. The ministers come on board at a time the country is facing new challenges. The performance of the new cabinet will make or mar Buhari’s government and APC’s future in 2023.
In most democracies, ministers are selected from technocrats with strong professional track record. But a right-thinking president also brings on board topnotch grassroots politicians to hold the political front when the need arises. President Buhari and the APC did very well in that area.
The 43 ministers are people who know what is expected of them. They know they are called for a national assignment. Nigerians expect them not to only saddle themselves with the responsibilities within their respective portfolios, but also be team players that will bring new and feasible ideas.
The cabinet should build on the work already started and pioneer fresh ones that will impact on the generality of Nigerians. For instance, Minister of communication, Dr. Ali Pantami, is expected to uplift the ministry into one alive to latest technological trends. All eyes will be on Minister of state for Petroleum, Timipri Silva, to drive the ministry from less talk to more actions, especially in the face of tumbling oil prices. The new minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, is expected to reorient the ministry as a body for addressing delinquencies among young people and make sports a tool for productively engaging the nation’s teeming youths. A golden opportunity is given to Godswill Akpabio Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to bring his mastery of infrastructure development to the fore in moving his home region forward. Among the returning ministers – all eyes will be on Hadi Sirika, Ministers of Aviation, if the dreamed Nigeria Air will finally come to reality.
Buhari should be firm in assessing every member of his cabinet. Poorly performing ministers should be replaced quickly so as not lose time and also keep others on their toes.The cabinet will become an engine-room for the Buhari government to fulfill its promises, especially lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
Zayyad I. Muhammad,
Jimeta, Adamawa state
08036070980, [email protected]
