Moments after inaugurating them into office, Monday, President Bola Tinubu directed all 45 new Ministers to hit the ground running. Pointedly, he told them that there was no time to wait as Nigerians are expectant and they must serve with honour, integrity and transparency.
“Your assignment began immediately,” the President declared.
“All of you who have been sworn in have been called to distinguish yourselves.,” he continued. “It is me who knows you and delegates this authority but the greatest number of Nigerians are highly expectant of delivery, accountability and transparency.
“Nigerians expect that you will serve with integrity, dignity and deliver. I will hold you to that standard. Your assignment began immediately.”
It was an epochal moment in the life of the new administration as the 45 swore to an oath of allegiance during the inauguration held at the Conference Centre of the State House, Abuja. And each of the Ministers, thereafter, took turns to have a handshake with President Tinubu.
The President urged the Ministers to collaborate and cooperate with one another with the single-minded focus of fulfilling the aspirations of Nigerians through their activities in government. What is more, the President told the Ministers, point blank, that they must not pander to any parochial interest as they were appointed as Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We are in this boat,” the President continued, “even if it is a vehicle and I am the driver, the entire Nigerians are behind sitting and watching as you and I navigate this vehicle. We must hold each other responsible, we have to do the job to meet the expectations of all Nigerians.
“As I said earlier on, you are not a minister of a particular state, colony, region or ethnic nationality, you are a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
The President also reminded the newly-sworn Ministers that they should consider their appointment as Minister into the Federal Executive Council as a high honour and, therefore, must do their best to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration.
He underscored the importance of teamwork as the greatest number of Nigerians were expectant of their delivery, accountability and transparency. And that Nigerians alsol expect them to work with integrity, dignity and deliver.
Tinubu’s exact words: “With the inauguration of Ministers today, we are about to accelerate our governing efforts to move forward in realizing our best aspiration for Nigeria. It’s all about a great team and I believe we have them here. It is a high honour to be chosen to serve as a minister in the federal executive council of our beloved republic.
“With such high honour comes tremendous responsibility in this moment of abundant promise and peril in equal measure. All of you who have been sworn in have been called to distinguish yourselves. It is me who knows you and delegates this authority but the greatest number of Nigerians are highly expectant of delivery, accountability and transparency.
“Nigerians expect that you will serve with integrity, dignity and deliver. I will hold you to that standard. Your assignment began immediately. As your country honours you today by this call to service, you must each work to make yourselves worthy in the eyes of God and all our nation’s people,” he said.
The Crest recalls that only last week, President Bola Tinubu set the polity aglow with the formal release of the portfolios attached to the then Ministers-designate. And as if pandering to the yearning in some quarters that he had put some square pegs in round holes, President Tinubu, on Sunday, effected a minor reshuffle, redeploying some Ministers, splitting the Petroleum Ministry into two.
Among those sworn in on Monday are: former Rivers State governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike (Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT), Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Adegboyega Oyetola (Marine and Blue Economy), David Umahi (Works), Festus Keyamo (Aviation and Aerospace Development), and Betta Edu (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation).
Others are: Bosun Tijani (Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy), Ishak Salaco (State, Environment and Ecological Management), Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Adegboyega Oyetola (Marine and Blue Economy), Adedayo Adelabu (Minister of Power), Tunisia Alausa (State, Health and Social Welfare), Dele Alake (Solid Minerals Development), Lola Ade-John (Minister of Tourism), Sa’idu Alkali (Transportation), and Bunmi Tunji-Ojo (Interior).
