FG prioritises economy, security as ministers take oath today

21st August 2023

Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis, Solomon Odeniyi, Edidiong Ikpoto and Deborah Tolu-Kolawole

As the ministers take the oath of office today, the priority focus of the Federal Government will be on the economy and security, The PUNCH has learnt.

Top Presidency sources informed this newspaper on Sunday that appointees would be guided by the eight-point agenda of the President as stated in his election manifesto.

It was further learnt that the President might set targets and performance index for the cabinet members in order to create an immediate impact on the economy, security, and other key areas.

Our correspondent gathered that Tinubu was determined to build on the achievements of his predecessor in the areas of blue economy, security, job creation, and anti-corruption.

“The President will likely set goals for them (ministers) in terms of the key objectives his administration seeks to achieve. He will speak generally to his expectations from the ministers and also challenge them on how they can work together in synergy to actualize his programs and policy as contained in his manifesto for the economic development of the country,’’ a presidential source noted.

Tinubu had last Wednesday unveiled the portfolios of 45 ministers nine days after they were confirmed by the Senate.

Like his predecessor, the President will head the petroleum ministry while a former Senator, Heineken Lokpobiri, is the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.

The list indicated that the President appointed 13 of the nominees as ministers of state and also created new ministries and renamed a few others.

80-page manifesto

In his 80-page manifesto containing multi-sectoral policy options tagged, ‘Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria,’ Tinubu listed an eight-point agenda that his administration would vigorously pursue.

Top on his priority lists of action plans were national security, economy, agriculture, power, oil and gas, transportation and education.

He also outlined policy options for healthcare, digital economy, women empowerment, judicial reform, federalism, decentralisation of power and foreign policy.

The document also included programmes on decent wages for workers, manufacturing, naira stability and total transformation of the country.

In a statement that accompanied the release of the manifesto on October 20, 2022, Tinubu said, “When I was governor of Lagos, my team and I developed institutions and policies that changed the face of the state. It became a safe place for its residents and an engine of prosperity for all those willing to work in pursuit of their economic dreams.

“What my team and I achieved in Lagos, together we all can achieve for Nigeria. Our objective is to foster a new society based on shared prosperity, tolerance, compassion, and the unwavering commitment to treating each citizen with equal respect and due regard.”

On Sunday, four top officials in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chief of Staff to the President told our correspondent that to create immediate impacts, the ministers would tackle economic and security challenges facing the country.

Security challenges

The source stated, “Although the manifesto will be our guide, emphasis will be on the economy and security. This administration inherited a battered economy with many Nigerians facing a cash crunch. The cabinet will have the mandate of tackling security and economic challenges.’’

But less than 15 hours before the inauguration, the President has renamed the Federal Ministry of Environment and Ecological Management as the Federal Ministry of Environment.

He also appointed Abubakar Momoh as Niger Delta minister and re-assigned Adegboyegba Oyetola to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Technology. Momoh was initially appointed as the Minister for Youth.

The Federal Ministry of Youth is to be reassigned to a minister-designate soon.

A statement by the spokesman to the President Nugi Ngelari read, ‘’The ministers-designate allocated to the Federal Ministries of Transportation, Interior, and Marine & Blue Economy have been reshuffled as follows: Adegboyega Oyetola is redeployed as the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy; Bunmi Tunji-Ojo is redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Interior; Sa’idu Alkali is redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Transportation.’’

Furthermore, both Ministers of State in the Oil & Gas sector are now domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources with Heineken Lokpobiri as the Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources and Ekperipe Ekpo as the Hon. Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources.”

 “All aforementioned changes take immediate effect by these directives of the President,” the statement added.

Ahead of the inauguration, the ministers-designate have completed their documentation which was held at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja.

The Director of Information, OSGF, Willie Bassey, in a statement on Sunday, said the exercise was seamless.

The exercise involved biometric verification and submission of the curriculum vitae, birth certificates or court declaration of age, passport photographs and citations of the ministers-designate.

The statement read, “The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has successfully completed the documentation process for all Ministers-Designate this evening.