Buhari Interests the South With Juicy Portfolios

In a country gripped by ethno-political balancing, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday moved to narrow the fault line that divides the North and the South by assigning most of the key portfolios of his administration to Nigerians of southern origin.

The president also made good his promise to rationalise the public sector by slashing the number of ministries from 29 to 24.
Since he assumed office on May 29, Buhari has been widely criticised for appointing mostly northerners to non-ministerial but key positions in government.

Prior to the inauguration of the cabinet, Nigerians of northern extraction accounted for almost 80 per cent of the president’s appointments, relative to 20 per cent allotted to southerners.

But yesterday, any concerns that may have arisen over Buhari’s choice of government functionaries to drive home his plan for socio-economic prosperity was laid to rest with the appointment of Babatude Fashola (Lagos) as Minister of Power, Works and Housing; Adebayo Shittu (Oyo) as Minister of Communications; Isaac Adewole Folorunsho (Osun) as Minister of Health; Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) as Minister of Solid Minerals; and Kemi Adeosun (Ogun) as Minister of Finance, representing the South-west geopolitical zone.

From the South-south zone, those with key appointments included Udoma Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom) as Minister of Budget and National Planning; Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers) as Minister of Transportation; Ibe Kachikwu (Delta) as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; and Usani Usani Uguru (Cross River) as Minister of Niger Delta.

The South-east produced Okey Enelamah (Abia) as Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, and Geoffrey Oyeama (Enugu) as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

However, a closer review showed that the North still got other key positions such as Audu Ogbeh from Benue State in North-central Nigeria, who will man the crucial Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry, Ms. Amina Mohammed from Gombe in the North-east will superintend over the Environment Ministry, while Alhaji Adamu Adamu from Bauchi in the North-east with oversee the Education Ministry.

More significantly, the areas of law enforcement and security was left entirely in the hands of Abdulrahman Dambazzau (Minister of Interior) from Kano in the North-west, Mosur Dan-Ali (Minister of Defence) from Zamfara in the North-west, and Abubakar Malami (Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice) from Kebbi, also in the North-west.

Buhari kept to his word by keeping the portfolio of Minister of Petroleum Resources, where he will be assisted by Kachikwu who still doubles as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Other ministers who were assigned their portfolios after their swearing-in yesterday included: Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Niger) who was made Minister of State for Solid Minerals; Mohammed Musa Bello (Adamawa) - Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Senator Aisha Alhassan (Taraba) - Minister of Women Affairs; Lai Mohammed (Kwara) - Minister of Information and Culture; Chief Ogbonaya Onu (Ebonyi) - Minister of Science and Technology; and Mrs. Zainab Shamshuna Ahmed (Kaduna) - Minister of State, Budget and National Planning.

Others were: Prof. Anthony Gozie Anwuka (Imo) who was announced Minister of State for Education; Mr. James Ocholi (Kogi) - Minister of State for Labour and Employment; Senator Chris Ngige (Anambra) – Minister of Labour and Employment; Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa) – Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development; Mustapha Shehuri (Borno) – Minister of State for Power; Prof. Claudius Daramola (Ondo) – Minister of State for Niger Delta; Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe) – Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Ms. Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto) – Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Investment; Ibrahim Usman Jibril  (Nasarawa) – Minister of State for Environment; and Osagie Ehanire (Edo) – Minister of State for Health.

Others that were assigned portfolios were: Solomon Dalong (Plateau) – Minister of Youth and Sports; Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa) – Minister of Water Resources; and Senator Hadi Sirika (Katsina) – Minister of State for Aviation.

Speaking after the swearing-in of the cabinet, the president asked the ministers to justify the confidence he and the nation had reposed in them.

The president said he consulted widely before selecting his ministers and allocating portfolios to them, adding that he and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, had been mindful of the need to constitute a cabinet that would best deliver their expectations of a better country than what they inherited.

He said: “We want to work towards a prosperous nation respected for the right reasons, and whose citizens can hold up their heads anywhere in the world.”

The president also expressed optimism that bringing the current batch of ministers to serve the country was a step in the right direction, describing it as "a timely move towards realising their goals for our country”.

The president said since he assumed office in May, he had been mindful of the need to ensure that the appointment of new ministers translated into putting round pegs in round holes while showing sensitivity to the nation’s diversity.

“I have also been conscious of the need not to repeat such mistakes of the past where the right people were allocated the wrong portfolios, which translated into their performing poorly to our collective detriment despite their obvious capabilities.

“Also, I have responded to the counsel to consult as widely as possible, given the need to build a stable and all-inclusive government by reaching across our various ethnic and political divides,” he said.

He noted that with the inauguration of ministers, his government would continue more decisively to implement its policies in respect of the economy and in other areas.

“While working hard to maximise revenue from oil in the face of a sharp decline in the price for the commodity, we are determined to diversify the economy in agriculture to enhance employment and explore solid minerals as a major revenue earner,” he added.

According to him, the primary aim is to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of staple foods such as rice and wheat and to become a major consumer and exporter of both items as well as solid minerals.

He promised that his government would pursue policies that would generate massive employment for millions of youths, and reiterated his determination and focus to ensure improved security for the country and its citizens, and without letting up in the government’s fight against corruption.

“Our commitment to defeat Boko Haram and all the threats it constitutes remains as strong as ever.  So is our resolve to root out vices such as kidnapping and neutralise the various forms of criminalities that threaten the social peace of Nigerians,” he said and expressed the view that in the moral sphere, trust was slowly but steadily being re-established between the government and the people.

“Now, when the government speaks, the people listen; and when the people’s expectations are not met, they appreciate that it is not for lack of commitment or trying on the part of government. In effect, government business is now being conducted with transparency and cynicism is waning as a result,” he added.

Buhari said the adoption of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) had resulted in the blocking of leakages in the public sector, making more funds available for the business of governance and ensuring the welfare of citizens.

He added that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had also assisted more than 30 states with concessionary loans to offset the salary arrears of their workers.

“On the monetary side, the CBN has also implemented country-specific and innovative policies that have helped to stabilise the exchange rate and conserve our reserves.”

He urged the ministers to proceed to work speedily and do their utmost to justify the confidence placed in them not only by their conduct but also by their performance in their various positions, adding that the economy is poised for sustained job creation, poverty reduction and inclusive growth.

Source: THISDAYLIVE