Ministers Assume Office, Set Agenda, Targets

Ndubuisi Francis, Olawale Ajimotokan, Emmanuel Addeh, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, James Emejo, Michael Olugbode, Kasim Sumaina, Kuni Tyessi and Alex Enumah in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu’s ministers – 45 of them – yesterday, took their oaths of office, administered on them by the president and immediately, they began to set targets and agenda for their respective ministries shortly after reporting at their desks. 

The ministers, who took over at their offices, some 85 days after the administration of Tinubu assumed power, all claimed to understand the weight of the assignment handed them and were determined to succeed.

While they largely thanked the president for considering them worthy for the task ahead, some of them had started to talk tough, saying the work at hand demanded such a tough start.

They all gave an overview of what their leadership might look like by design and in sync with the renewed hope agenda of the Tinubu administration at different engagements with journalists in their offices.

The one common denominator, however, by practically all the ministers was that they all claimed the president gave them specific mandates, which formed the fulcrum of their agenda-setting, upon reporting at their various desks.

Edun to Nigerians: Your Economic Pains Will Be over Soon

The Minister of Finance and the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Olawale Edun, has solicited the support of the management and staff of his ministry to actualise President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the current pains as a result of some of the president’s policies would soon be over.

According to a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations,  Mr. Stephen Kilebi, the minister who acknowledged the trust, opportunity and honour given to him to serve said Tinubu’s key macro, monetary and fiscal measures might have taken a toll on Nigerians, it would be at the economy’s advantage.

Noting that they had a responsibility to perform and deliver on the president’s mandate, he said, “We must deliver and we must perform” adding that the expectations of Nigerians from the president were high and so he had come to correct most abnormalities, promising to do whatever that was possible to minimise the sufferings of Nigerians.

Assuring the people that “the pains of Tinubu’s reforms would soon be over,” he explained that as the Minister of Finance and the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy,  his job was to help in sustaining the reforms initiated by the former Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Samsuna Ahmed.

He promised to build on her achievements, so as to take the country to  greater heights, stating that governance is a continuum.

Edun, who reiterated the need for team work, noted that, it was the only way to achieve success, even as he added that the ministry was not new to him because he had been in and out of the Ministry for a purpose, but would utilise  digitalisation of the ministry as an advantage to fasten his job.

Earlier, his Permanent Secretary, Mallam Aliyu Ahmed, in his remarks stated that the minister’s antecedents and pedigree with over 30 years of experience in the finance sector made the cap really fit as the Minister of Finance and the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy.

Ahmed assured Edun of the  of his support and the loyalty of the management and staff of the Ministry.

The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties of the ministry, Mr.  Okokon Udo, in his welcome address, assured Edun of they had a responsibility to perform and deliver on the mandate.

 their readiness and commitment towards  the realisation of the president’s vision for Nigeria’s economy.

Fagbemi: I’m Open to Suggestions, Constructive Criticisms

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, yesterday, assumed duty and said he was open to both suggestions and constructive criticisms.

Fagbemi was received by the Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF) and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, directors and top management staff of the Ministry of Justice along with Heads of Parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Justice.

In a brief remark, he appealed to the staff of the ministry to redouble their efforts in the discharge of their duties, adding that, the office of the AGF was strategic as it services all government Ministries, Department and Agencies.

While soliciting the cooperation of the Permanent Secretary and staff of the ministry in view of achieving his mandate, he said he would be open tosuggestions and constructive criticism, adding that, “If you must criticise, you proffer solutions also.”

Fagbemi, who pointed out that, the ultimate goal of any lawyer was to become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said, he was, “happy that one, two, three of you are SAN. Before I leave office, we are going to have many more in the ministry.”

He, however, warned against acts of insubordination and urged the management and staff of the ministry to be guided by their conscience and the oath of office they took.

Earlier in his welcome address, the SGF and the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Jeddy-Agba pledged the support and un-alloyed loyalty of management and staff of the ministry to enable the minister function well in office.

Wike: I Have President’s Mandate to Sanitise FCT

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said he had secured the mandate of President Bola Tinubu to sanitise Abuja into a world class city within a very short time regardless of ‘whose ox is gored’.

Making the disclosure at a news briefing, where he unveiled his 10-point agenda, Wike, who was accompanied by the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, vowed to step on toes in his bid to sanistise the nation’s capital.

“We will bring FCT back to where it ought to be. So many people have complained that this is not the FCT of the founding fathers. We must tackle issue of security. FCT should be where people come for holidays.

“It is not going to be business as usual. So many people have complained that the FCT has lost the sense for which it was established by its founding fathers. We have to make the FCT one of the best cities in the world. This is one of the things we want to do in the short, medium and long terms.

“Abuja is supposed to be one of the safest places in the world. The issue of security must be tackled and we are ready to provide all the necessary logistics for the security agencies to do their work. I already know the problems from Rivers, where I came from. Our duty is to provide the tools to support the security agencies.

“After that, I won’t tolerate any excuses. If they can’t safeguard the place then we will continue to have problems. The Police Commissioner must identify all the hotspots in the FCT and treat those who steal manholes as armed robbers. I don’t want to fail Mr President for having the confidence by appointing a person from the opposition like me as a minister,” Wike said.

He further warned that his administration would not take excuses from security agencies as they would provided with the required tools to work as issue of security is germane.

The former governor of River State, however, decried poor sanitation in Abuja and indiscriminate sprouting up of markets in every nook and cranny of the city, and vowed that the administration would not tolerate such practice as it bred insecurity.

Pate: We’re Going to Drive Health Sector Reforms

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has said he was ready to implement policies that would enhance the standard of the health sector and improve the lives of Nigerians.

Pate, who said this at a reception held for him at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, noted that, “I will work with my brother, the minister of state and everybody to actualise the vision and mandate of President Bola Tinubu.”

He added that the selection of ministers for the health ministry by the president indicated that “he considers the people as the basis and foundational element of his administration.”

He further reiterated his intention to work with health actors, parastatals, hospitals, states and private sectors in improving the standard of healthcare, in order to stall oversea medical tourism.

The Minister of State, Dr. Tunji Alausa (FMOH), commended the management and staff of the Ministry for the warm reception, asserting also that health care covered not only hospitals but physical health, social security, national security and others.

He stated that people deserved basic comprehensive internationally acceptable healthcare services, promising also that they were determined to achieve this feat to improve lives.

Tuggar: Expect New Foreign Policy Vision Soon

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has promised to unveil the administration’s foreign policy vision in a few days’ time.

The minister, who gave this promised yesterday shortly after assuming office, spoke at a reception where friends, supporters and staff of the ministry were on hand to receive him.

Speaking at the short reception which also had in attendance, the Emir of Bichi, Nasir Ado Bayero, the minister said it was the highest honour to have been asked to serve the country by President Tinubu.

He however, called for the support of the staff in the efforts to place Nigeria in its true position at the international front, stating that it was the responsibility of the staff to uphold the standard of the ministry.

Tuggar added that the time was challenging, given the current situation, but noted that, “it is the highest honour to be asked to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Bola Tinubu.”

He said: “The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is at the forefront of promoting Nigeria’s interest and protecting our citizens abroad. As a historically important ministry, foreign affairs has long represented the high standard of excellence. It is, therefore, our job to make sure that those standards never fail. Each and every one of us has a key role to play.

“These are turbulent times. From the unfolding political crisis in Niger Republic to the regional insecurity and economic uncertainty, we have a lot of work to do. In the coming days, I will be meeting with many of you to better understand the needs of the ministry and develop plans to tackle these challenges.

“In due time, we will also be unveiling a new vision for Nigeria’s foreign policy. The four D  diplomacy which is centred on development, democracy, demography and diaspora.

“We hope to find modern solutions in order to address complex modern problems. I will count on your support and partnership. I believe with your support, we can place Nigeria where she belongs at the pinnacle of regional and global decision making.”

Keyamo: To Succeed, We Need Transparency, Team Spirit

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, yesterday, on assumption of duty as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development said, transparency, team spirit and selflessness were what could lead to the actualisation of the mandate given to him by the president.

Pledging continuity in the work that had been done in the sector and as well improve on the modus operandi, Keyamo, in a statement by the Head of Press of the Ministry, Odutayo Oluseyi, said, “I’m people-oriented, and my aim is to satisfy people.”

Speaking earlier on behalf of the Directors and staff of the Ministry, Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole, spoke about the preparedness of staff to work with the minister.

“We know you are here to continue the good work of Mr President as it concerns the aviation sector and we assure you of our commitment to make sure we deliver our mandate,” he said.

The Union Chairman, Hector Nnadi, in his brief remark expressed optimism that the Minister, following his track records and being a youth, full of energy, would perform well as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace.

Umahi: I want Professionalism, Commitment to Work

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, yesterday, on assuming duty, called  for professionalism and commitment to work, and advocated change from the old style to embracing innovations and local content. 

Addressing a cross-section of  staff of the ministry, Umahi said, “I will challenge my fellow engineers on the issue of concrete technology even in the midst of forex challenge and petroleum crises. The nation is endowed with natural resources, so we should be prepared for the renewed hope of the present government anchored on change.”

Describing himself as a ‘field person’, the former Ebonyi State governor said, he would immediately begin inspecting ongoing works, stressing that the attitude of its professionals would determine the fate of a country.

“I am not an office person, I am a field person. Which  means, we are going to make changes, we are starting inspection tours to inspect ongoing projects and to know the ones to come up  with,” he noted.

Umahi added that he would not tolerate those he described as wanting to set the clock backwards, promising to be a minister for the entire country.

Pledging to replicate the work he did in Ebonyi State in terms of fixing the federal roads, the minister said he would be briefed by every departmental head in the presence of all the staff to onboard them, and charged the workers to put in their best and be part of history.

Tunji-Ojo: Discharge Your Duties Mindful of Extant Laws

Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has charged the paramilitary service chiefs in the ministry to discharge their mandates in line with the extant laws, warning that he would hold them accountable for any transgression.

The minister made the declaration yesterday when he assumed office at the Old Federal Secretariat premises, immediately after he was swore in at the Presidential Villa alongside other ministers.

He said: “I am here to work but in working we must have a good environment. The work of this ministry affects everyone whether you are rich or poor.

“I don’t lead from the back, I lead from the front. We will try, we will do our best to provide leadership built on the foundation of your support.

“I do not inherit enemies and I do not inherit friends. I make my own enemies and I earn my own friends. I am here to make a change and I am here to deliver results and I need you to help me to do that.

“Just as Mr President will hold me accountable for whatever happens in the Ministry of Interior, I will never hold your subordinates responsible for anything; I will hold you responsible for anything that goes wrong”, he told the Controller Generals of the Paramilitary Services, who came to welcome him to the ministry.

Mamman: We Need Team Work to Build Education Sector

The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, and the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, yesterday, assumed office and called for team work to build the education sector.

They were received by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo, Directors and heads of and parastatals under the ministry.

Mamman, in his speech, called for collaboration and support from heads of parastatals, directors and members of staff to move the ministry forward.

“Our President and the entire citizens expect us to deliver. For me, I work like a bricklayer. Everyday, he goes to site, the foreman gives him blocks to lay. At the end of the day, he wants to see that the building come up and, within six months, the house is built. We have to have measurable systems.

“The expectation is huge and our president is committed fully towards  tackling these problems.  I enjoin everyone to be part of this,” he said.

Sununu, who thanked God for the appointment, said the time had come to surmount the challenges in the sector, adding that, working together as a formidable force would help to overcome the challenges.

Kyari: Food Insecurity Challenge Must be Addressed

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Abubakar Kyari, yesterday, promised to tackle hunger, which he said remained one of the biggest challenges facing the country.

He said with the political will already provided by President Tinubu, his administration would seek to address the challenges of food production, including insecurity, flooding among others.

Addressing the staff of the ministry alongside the Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, and the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, Kyari acknowledged that though there were increasing threats to food security, the challenges were not insurmountable.

“Our target is not only to secure and feed the country but also to export food. We have that potential and it’s just there ready to be tapped.

“All I can say is that I am ready and I am willing to commit 100 per cent to the service of this nation. We all know the challenges that we face now; and when I say hunger, it also means food – the challenges of food production – insecurity is one, flooding is another among others.

“But for me, and my colleague here and even state governors, the biggest hope we have is the political will driven by President Bola Tinubu.

“When he declared the food emergency on the first day and has made a huge commitment to revive agriculture and secure the nation’s food. I think that we have a big challenge but it is not insurmountable.”

On his part, Abdullahi said no mission was impossible if the people were committed to their tasks, calling for a collaborative effort among staff towards delivering on the ministry’s mandate.

Alake: We’re Set to Implement President’s Agenda

Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, yesterday, hinted that his team was set to implement President Bola Tinubu’s directive in line with the mandate of the sector.

The minister, who assumed duty at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, however, said he had a roadmap to unveil in the days ahead for the sector.

“Having worked with Mr. President in his cabinet as a commissioner for eight years, I understood what results are, and we are here to achieve results. I believe we can do it with all hands on deck.

“We won’t allow bottlenecks to stifle our set goals. It’s either you shape in or you ship out. If you can really sit down to listen, you would understand that, Hydrocarbon is fading out and the attention of the world is shifting to solid minerals. So, we must get it right,” Alake said.

Similarly, the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, said though there were many steel companies in the country, “we can only tackle one at a time. It’s time to move the country to the G-20 industrialised nations.

“The mandate of Mr. President is to ensure that we get it right in the steel sector and as a young ministry, we would work towards the production of steel in the country in no distant time. We are set to kick start the Ajaokuta steel machine and Nigeria can not afford to fail in steel production,” Audu concluded.

In his remarks, the Minister of State, Steel Development, Maigari Uba Ahmadu, sought collaborations with the sector stakeholders to achieve their set goals.

Edu: Our Target is to Lift 133 Million Out of Poverty

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has declared that the federal government was committed to lifting 133 million Nigerians out of poverty.

Edu made the assurance yesterday at a meeting with top functionaries of the agencies under the supervision of the ministry.

She described as unacceptable, the escalating rate of poverty in the country, while calling for all hands to be on deck to ameliorate the situation, and vowed to ensure accountability and transparency during her tenure as minister.

According to the minister, the ministry intended to achieve the target through series of interventions and initiatives, saying it could be done through determination and strong-will.

“What is most important is that we will keep our focus on lifting 133 million Nigerians out of poverty. We will play down on politics, we are here to face the real business of governance” Edu said.

The minister underlined the need to bring smiles back to the faces of Nigerians, saying it was vital to reach out to those who were underserved and renew their hope.

“While doing this, we must ensure that we will increase our efforts, be very sincere, transparent and accountable,” Edu said.

Magagi: There’s No More Room for Fake News, Lies

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Magagi, has pledged that under his watch, there would be no room for lies and fake news.

The minister said the president had mandated him to speak the truth, which is now a new covenant between the government and the people of Nigeria.

He gave the assurance, yesterday, at an official reception organised for him and his counterparts in Arts, Culture and Creative Economy and Tourism.

Magagi assured Nigerians that the new administration would run an open door and transparent policy in the course of its tenure.

“For me, I am actually a reporter reporting for duty, and I meant it with every sense of the word. The president has asked me to come and tell you, this is a brand new ministry of Information and National Orientation.

“This is a ministry that is set to be repositioned like never before. I have been in the industry for nearly three decades and I should know where the shoe pinches.

“Today is not for policy announcement but a day to familiarise ourselves with all the stakeholders in the ministry. Mr. President did not send me to come and lie, and this is the new covenant with you and Nigerians. We are going to say it as it is.

“Mr. President has said when we come, we should own up where there are mistakes, we should own up where we erred, we should not be shy to say, ‘No this is wrong and we are going to correct it’.  The ministry will be at the core of  it’s job, the job of info dissemination,” he said.

Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Musa Hanatu Musawa, In her remarks, vowed to use her ministry to export Nigeria to the world.

“Whatever we will do, we are going to do it together to achieve greatness. Nigeria stands on the precipice of greatness. I understand the passion that is required to move the ministry forward and we are going to do a number of things to change the trajectory. We are going to export Nigeria to the outside world, and make Nigeria the greatest nation on earth, in a way that will change the narrative.

“Culture is our identity and we are going to use this ministry to resuscitate and grow the economy. We are going to roll out action plan that will not just satisfy all stakeholders, but  actualise our mandate  for President Tinubu. Our guiding principles will be innovation, preservation, empowerment, corporation, collaboration,” Musawa said.

Uzoka-Anite: We’ll Boost FDI Inflow, Promote Business-Friendly Environment

Minister, Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, yesterday, resumed office, shortly after being sworn-in by President Bola Tinubu and vowed to install policies that would attract more foreign investments into the country as well as promote a business-friendly environment for indigenous companies to grow.

Promising a new dawn, she reiterated her commitment to operate an open-door policy and urged the staff to cooperate with her.

Addressing the staff of the ministry, she said, “This is not the era for growing money alone. This is the era for investment. This is the era to open your doors to attract investors, to bring in people to showcase what you have.

“A lot of people are out there looking for ways to come into the country. It is our opportunity; it is our time to make that happen and I am happy to be on this journey with you.

“Our work here is to ensure that we create more jobs, more employment, lift people above the poverty line and ensure that small and middle enterprises and industries that are already existing expand and grow better.

“Our job is to attract investments. There is so much opportunity. One of them I have already witnessed here is the human resources. If we only harness our human resource potential Nigeria will be great even without our mineral resources.

“Even without our non-mineral resources, only our human capital alone is enough to take us where we want to. Now combine that with the new potential we have with mineral and non-mineral deposits.

“I think it is just for us to open the doors and say investors please come what do you want, we are here to facilitate that,” she said, adding that, carving a positive image for the country remained vital towards wooing investors and ensuring that businesses thrive.

Lalong, Onyejeocha Pledge Job Creation, Workers’ Welfare

Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong and the Minister of State, Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, have promised to work towards ensuring decent work place and creating jobs for the teaming unemployed youths in the country.

Talking about the relationship with the organised Labour, the ministers said the Ministry would work closely with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates not only to ensure that all pending industrial disputes were settled amicably, “but also addressing with strong determination for the new minimum wage and other palliatives arising from the removal of fuel subsidy.”

Lalong, who spoke on assumption of duties said the president had mandated the ministry to ensure decent work place and better remuneration for the workers in the country.

“The President directed that the Ministry of Labour should move on with the negotiations with organised labour over the pending dispute on fuel subsidy removal to achieve an amicable resolution.

“Under my stewardship, the Ministry of Labour and Employment will fulfil its mandate of ensuring decent work for all Nigerians and making sure that our citizens particularly the youth and women get the opportunity to deploy their energy, creativity, talent and gifts to the development of the nation

“Because of the level of unemployment, underemployment and challenges associated with the work environment, we have been mandated by Mr. President to ensure that Nigerians get decent employment and are adequately remunerated for their labour both in the public and private sectors.

“We shall not spare any effort to protect the Nigerian worker and guarantee his dignity at all times,” he said.

Onyejeocha, on her part, assured that she was going to work collectively with everybody in the ministry to see that necessary changes were brought into place to impact positively on the lives of Nigerians.

She said every Nigerian has a moral duty to support changes that would bring a turnaround in the affairs of the country. “We promised Nigerians that we are going to take many of our youths out of the streets and it is important that we towards fulfilling the promises of this government to Nigerians,” she said

Oyetola: We’ll Boost Economy Using Marine Resources

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, yesterday, outlined his vision for a thriving blue economy sector that prioritises sustainability, innovation and economic growth.

Oyetola, who spoke at a maiden news conference held in the Ministry of Transportation, acknowledged the abundance of marine resources that existedwithin the coastal region and emphasised the need to fully harness them for economic gains.

He added that part of his vision was to ensure that inland rivers, lakes, and waterways were well utilised, both in terms of cargo shipment and passenger transportation.

“The global level Blue Economy is estimated at more than $1.5 trillion annually and I urge stakeholders to seize the opportunity and become a significant player in the industry,” he said.

Oyetola, also called for collaboration and teamwork among all stakeholders and agencies, adding that teamwork would help maximise the benefits of Nigeria’s vast coastal resources.

“I strongly believe in the power of collaboration and dedication to service. The collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal can only be efficient and effective through teamwork.

“This is why I crave your indulgence that we must work as a team to deliver on our mandate. Let us work together to find innovative solutions to the challenges we face, ensuring that our oceans and marine life are safe, reliable, and sustainable,” he said.