With the swearing in of majority of the ministers to serve under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, some residents of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital have assessed the capacity of the ministers and highlighted to them expectations of majority of Nigerians.
Opunabo Inko-Taria, Public Commentator and former Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nyesom Wike opined that President Tinubu did not do anything new or different from the established pattern of appointment of ministers by previous administration, saying that the President’s appointment of ministers was largely influenced by political patronage.
He said; “The Tinubu administration has nothing new to offer Nigerians and the economy”, expressing disappointment that the Tinubu-led administration “allowed mediocrity to take over the place of meritocracy”.
“I thought that Mr. President was going to bring people on board with sound antecedents and pedigrees, professionals, who will help turn our economy around. Sadly, what we saw was bringing on board people for political patronage. Those who assisted him to win the last election and those who will equally assist him to win the forthcoming election, should there be a rerun.
“I’m not saying that about all the nominees, no, but at least 80% of them fall into this category. We have round pegs in square holes. Most infernal are the portfolios he assigned to some of them,” Inko-Taria said.
On his part, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) said the 45 ministers sworn-in by President Bola Tinubu are persons from different walks of life, ages, levels of experience, education, exposure, social backgrounds, ethnic nationalities and potentials, among others, brought together to serve Nigeria, Nigerians and foster national unity with him on their different roles and portfolios.
He, however, expressed displeasure over deployment of some of the ministers, describing some ministers as being without relevant experiences.
He said; “They (the ministers) are men that I believe that if their potentials are properly utilised by deploying them to the appropriate ministries where they have relevant suitable experiences, they are likely to do well.
“However, some ministers without relevant experiences have been observed. I, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) can say that the deployment of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development seems inappropriate as I do not think that Festus Keyamo has the requisite experience in the aviation industry being a lawyer. Other Nigerians are also complaining about ministerial deployment to the Ministry of Defense among others.”
He observed that the ministers have a daunting task to meet the expectations of Nigeria and Nigerians. “The first expectation from Nigerians is to mitigate the sufferings and hardship as a result of fuel subsidy removal on the people. I, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), a non-governmental organization that is very close to the local people, I understand the sufferings and hardships that Nigerians are passing through.
“The poverty level in the land has increased, hunger is endemic and crime rate is increasing as a result of that. So, the task before the various ministers remains to make life bearable for the people, to facilitate the process of making Nigerians to be able to breathe, to ensure the circulation of wealth and make the economy work.
“It is important that steps are taken to make our refineries work. The minister of State for Petroleum Resources must see to this. I know that the Minister of Petroleum Resources was not sworn-in today and I am aware, from experience, that Presidents keep that position for themselves and President Tinubu would have also made himself the Minister of Petroleum Resources not appointing any minister to that portfolio.
“The Minister of Finance has a lot to do to work with the CBN to stabilize the Naira, improve the economy and ensure that inflation drops. The Minister of Defense must ensure the security of Nigerians and the minister of education must improve same and ensure that ASUU strikes do not cripple our educational system again. All the ministers must play their roles to improve the lots of Nigeria and Nigerians”.
Also speaking, Hon. Uchechukwu Cyprain Obasi, Former Deputy Governorship Candidate of Independent Democrat (ID) in the 2019 General Election noted that the appointment and deployment of the ministers were not bad start for the Tinubu administration because all regions were represented even though not evenly, especially as it affects the South East. This, according to him could however, be explained by the fewer number of states in the region.
“There is no major difference between what President Tinubu has done with the appointment and the Senate screening of the ministers from what we have seen in previous administrations. In the appointment and deployment as we have them now, we have some square pegs in square holes as well as some square pegs in round holes”, he stated.
Obasi added; “As always, the expectations of Nigerians from them are sky high, which is understandable because of the worsening economic crisis in the country. So the question now is, can they (the ministers) come up with solutions that can deploy our resources to remove Nigeria from the unenviable status of being the poverty capital of the world?
“For me, I expect a National Executive Council NEC where members can look the President in the eyes and dare to make inputs that benefit the larger number of Nigerian masses, not inputs or decisions made to please the President.
“Nigerians have high expectations, overtime, it has been proven that we have good followership but the problem is that we do not have the best leaders. So we ask again, are these the best of Nigeria? If they are, then we should expect it to reflect in a better life for all Nigerians”.
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