Barring any last minute hitch, indications are that President Muhammadu Buhari will on Wednesday, October 11 administer the oath of office on 36 new ministers designate to serve in his cabinet. The inauguration would mark a climax in the long wait for a new cabinet that lasted for five months. Expectedly, the new ministers will be assigned portfolios to enable them get to work immediately
. Much as Nigerian look forward to getting a new federal cabinet, it is pertinent to advice that the President assign portfolios to ministers based on their areas of competence. Given that ministers serve as political heads of respective ministries, they are also expected to bring their experiences to bear in the implementation of the government’s programmes.
They can only do so if they are knowledgeable enough to add value to their specific portfolios. Their training and experience must be matched as closely as possible with the ministerial post in which they are being asked to serve.
Even at that, fears are being expressed that not all the ministers would be assigned portfolios. This is coming on the heels of statement credited to the President that the country’s dire economic situation cannot support 36 federal ministries. With this, it follows that the number of ministries would be pruned down to reflect the country’s current economic situation.
The president’s statement certainly implies a significant segment of the 36 individuals already confirmed, as ministers would simply have to sit on their hands while they are purportedly in government, devoid of an office, authority or similar appurtenances.
However, the President’s allusion to the struggling economy is raising some fundamental questions. For example, how will some of the ministers operate without portfolios?
Recall that the absence of ministers had been blamed for the slow pace of the economy in the last five months. Moreover, appointing ministers without portfolios does not help our situation now. What will the ministers without portfolios be doing at Cabinet meetings, what states of the Federation will those ministers be representing in the Cabinet, what criteria will the President use in deciding states without portfolios that will be seen as fair? Invariably, any reduction in the number of ministers without portfolios as generally envisaged, will reduce the cost of governance, but paradoxically increase the need for improved coordination by the presidency.
No matter how the situation is resolved, we expect those assigned portfolios to make a big difference in the shortest possible time. We advocate that each be given realistic and measurable targets to achieve within a year or two. This will leapfrog development; bring new thinking and fresh approach to governance.
That is why we support the call by President Buhari to the ministers designate to join hands with him and restore the lost glory of Nigeria in all spheres. There is no denying the fact Nigerians expect a lot from this administration, especially now that the country going through difficult times. It bears repeating that Buhari’s campaign was hinged on the promises to tackle corruption, insecurity and reviving the comatose economy. Nigerians are therefore looking forward to a cabinet that would bring more dynamism in the affairs of governance. We believe the new cabinet can make all the difference.
However, the President’s allusion to the struggling economy is raising some fundamental questions. For example, how will some of the ministers operate without portfolios?
Recall that the absence of ministers had been blamed for the slow pace of the economy in the last five months. Moreover, appointing ministers without portfolios does not help our situation now. What will the ministers without portfolios be doing at Cabinet meetings, what states of the Federation will those ministers be representing in the Cabinet, what criteria will the President use in deciding states without portfolios that will be seen as fair? Invariably, any reduction in the number of ministers without portfolios as generally envisaged, will reduce the cost of governance, but paradoxically increase the need for improved coordination by the presidency.
No matter how the situation is resolved, we expect those assigned portfolios to make a big difference in the shortest possible time. We advocate that each be given realistic and measurable targets to achieve within a year or two. This will leapfrog development; bring new thinking and fresh approach to governance.
That is why we support the call by President Buhari to the ministers designate to join hands with him and restore the lost glory of Nigeria in all spheres. There is no denying the fact Nigerians expect a lot from this administration, especially now that the country going through difficult times. It bears repeating that Buhari’s campaign was hinged on the promises to tackle corruption, insecurity and reviving the comatose economy. Nigerians are therefore looking forward to a cabinet that would bring more dynamism in the affairs of governance. We believe the new cabinet can make all the difference.
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