– Beyond His Riot Act, Mr. President Must Replace 36 Non-Performing Ministers
If great care is not taken, President Bola Tinubu may suffer sabotage by his kitchen cabinet. Despite some flashes of brilliance from within, mediocrity runs through his ministerial team, like the proverbial dark cloud sullying the silver mists of his Renewed Hope agenda.
Aside from some 12 ministers adjudged to have put up an average performance, the majority are struggling futilely to justify their appointment to their esteemed positions.
Beyond what is known in local parlance as the initial gra gra (IGG) projected by the incumbent ministers, many of them fall short in expectations as they continually fail to perform optimally in their separate ministries.
Consequently, several pundits have suggested the immediate sack of non-performing ministers. It would be recalled that as he commenced his four-year tenure, President Tinubu read the riot act to his ministers, stressing his eagerness to implement his Renewed Hope agenda in the shortest possible time.
So doing, he told the ministers that they wouldn’t have the luxury of time and space before he started evaluating their performance to determine who would be retained or given the boot from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
While swearing in the Ministers last year, President Tinubu said that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) would be deployed to assess their impact, adding that Nigerians expect so much from them and they can’t afford to fail or put up a mediocre performance.
The President vowed to kick off his team any minister found wanting in the discharge of his duties. He promised to wield the big stick when necessary.
Despite reading the riot act to his ministers, they have persistently fallen short of expectations. Even after creating 12 additional ministerial portfolios, thus increasing the number of ministers to 48, it hasn’t improved the quality of governance on his watch. At the moment, barely 12 of Tinubu’s ministers have displayed decent performance. The remaining 36 have been largely unproductive.
But for a handful of ministers, including the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, Health Minister Ali Pate, Solid Minerals Minister Dele Alake, Works Minister David Umahi, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the rest have been imperceptible and uninspiring, according to pundits.
Even the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, could be considered among the top 5 most active ministers in this administration.
Those President Tinubu might need to sack from his cabinet include the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy , Adegboyega Oyetola, Hannatu Musawa – Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, the Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management, Ishaq Salako, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite, Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Solomon Lalong – Labour and Employment, Uche Nnaji, Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo, and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyar, Bello Goronyo – Minister of State, Water Resources and SanitationOthers are the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf M. Tuggar, Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, and Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, Zephaniah Jisalo – Special Duties, Joseph Uysev – Water Resources and Sanitation
The performance of these ministers has been lacklustre thus leading critics to insist that President Tinubu kick them out of his kitchen cabinet as he approaches his second year in office.
Meanwhile, some Ministers have shown competence and capacity in their respective duties. Beyond their pragmatic initiatives and impactful programmes, these performing ministers also deploy effective media relations and strategic stakeholder engagements to help douse tension and calm frayed nerves among masses segments affected by the workings of their respective ministries.
These ministers are as follows:
Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory
Within a few months of assumption of office, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, established the FCT Civil Service Commission to guarantee the career progression of civil servants within the territory.
Rather than executing new projects, the Minister mobilised and instructed contractors to complete ongoing projects, especially road, rail and township projects or face sanctions.
Prioritising security measures and revenue generation to safeguard residents and fund infrastructural development within the FCT, Wike is also restoring the original Abuja master plan and tackling insecurity by getting rid of illegal structures.
Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy
The finance minister, Wale Edun, initiated various fiscal reforms to revamp the economy after removing fuel subsidies that were costing the country over N400bn monthly.
Apart from spearheading alternative ways for generating more revenues, he has ensured equitable and transparent monthly disbursements from the federation account when due to the tiers of government.
He is also behind expanding the scope of direct cash transfer schemes to millions of more households to cushion the rising cost of living.
Muhammed Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare
Professor Muhammed Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has attracted various development partners to support Nigeria’s healthcare system. They include GAVI, The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, etc.
Besides introducing the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the routine immunisation system, his Ministry launched lifesaving initiatives such as Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) to improve quality maternal health outcomes.
In addition to that, the professor of public health facilitated the signing of MoU between FG and Afreximbank in which Nigeria will get $1bn deal to finance Healthcare as the country records significant progress in the elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, cleared more than 200,000 backlogs of international passports he met within a few weeks of his appointment and ensured the speedy implementation of automation of the passport application process.
A former member of the House of Representatives, Tunji-Ojo also facilitated the E-gates system at the international airports aimed at reducing passengers’ physical contact with immigration officers and facilitating movement.
Mohammed Idris Malagi, Minister of Information and National Orientation
The Information Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, hosts inter-ministerial press briefings to boost accountability in governance. He also deploys sound PR strategies in timely, responsible stakeholder engagements while addressing burning national issues with facts and sincerity of purpose. He doesn’t abuse, blackmail or bully government critics and opponents in his engagements.
Malagi, a publisher and PR specialist, in his effort to rebrand Nigeria’s image, unveiled a National Value Charter that will provide clear guidelines on the rights of citizens on the government and the government’s demands on the citizens.
) Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals
After initiating his agenda of restoring investor confidence and renewing global interest in the sector, Dele Alake took decisive actions, including revoking licenses, establishing enhanced security measures and international collaborations towards the protection of the industry.
He also launched revised guidelines for community development agreements (CDA) to ensure that host communities benefit maximally from mining operations while government royalties for economic development are safeguarded.
The Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the German firm Geo Scan GmbN for the deployment of cutting-edge proprietary technology capable of exploring mineral resources up to 10,000 metres below the earth’s surface, with no cost to Nigeria.
David Umahi, Minister of Works
Concerned over corrupt practices and poor handling of projects, the Minister read the riot act to contractors on timely delivery and threatened to punish defaulters.
Besides ensuring road contractors meet the required standard within the stipulated periods, David Umahi formed a team of retired military and security personnel to protect and secure construction sites from criminals. This was to tackle incessant complaints by contractors about the safety of their workers and equipment at the sites.
Similarly, he introduced concrete road technology over asphalt in most carriageways and continuous maintenance because concrete offers superior durability, requires less maintenance and leads to long-term cost savings. According to him, concrete produces less environmental pollution, and cars run more efficiently on the surface.
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has prioritised strict compliance with safety regulations in the aviation industry and enhanced infrastructure especially upgrading airports, runways, and other critical facilities to support safe and efficient air travel.
Recognising the importance of skilled personnel in the aviation sector, the Ministry develops human capacity within the industry, ensuring that professionals receive adequate training and support.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy
Besides launching a start-up portal to drive digital innovation, Bosun Tijani launched the 3MTT programme through NITDA, which aims to develop 3 million technical talents by 2025, in line with the President’s vision for making Nigeria a global hub for digital jobs.
Through a series of engagements, the Ministry has attracted more investors for different projects in the sector, including laying fibre infrastructure worth approximately $2 billion across the country.
