BY DR ABUBAKAR ALKALI, [email protected]
As the senate, the upper chamber of Nigeria’s federal legislature rounds up the somewhat periodic ritual of ministerial screening, it is imperative to evaluate the calibre of people on the ministerial list with a view to establishing any links between the list and the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu. There is a very high expectation nay desperation by Nigerians that we need to get it right this time and build a nation that we can all be proud of. High level insecurity, a dysfunctional economy and worn-out often times non-existent infrastructure are some of the reasons for the high expectations of Nigerians on the Tinubu administration.
Clearly, the ministerial list is a mix of technocrats, politicians, women and youths. Even though Nigerian youths expected a high number of their own in the cabinet, it was still a good showing seeing technocrats and young people who seem to be in touch with the modern digital era and conventional development methods and practice in the 21st century.
Come to think of it, this is politics so politicians will have to be involved in the cabinet one way or the other. In this regard, it is not abnormal albeit not very encouraging seeing old recycled politicians take their places in the ministerial list.
One thing that was quite commendable though is that Mr President resisted the pressure to retain some ministers in the past Buhari administration despite intense lobbying by some of these past ministers even though their performance while they held sway was below par. Mr President chose to go for a fresh team and a fresh start to achieve his renewed hope agenda of economic prosperity and security for all Nigerians.
Some Nigerians especially the youths were not encouraged by the non-inclusion of the Diaspora in the cabinet. Many analysts believe that technocrats from the Diaspora should have been included in the cabinet even if to enable them bring to bear, their wealth of international experience to achieve the developmental goals of the Tinubu administration in line with the modern digital era and conventional home-grown development strategies. This is in tandem with the Rawlings Revolution in Ghana in the early 80’s where the Diaspora formed a key segment of Ghana’s socio economic and political turn around.
The remittance by Nigerians in the Diaspora to Nigeria in 2022 stood at $21.9 billion and it will be worthwhile for Nigerians in the Diaspora to be included in the President Tinubu cabinet as they can help attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country, bring new ideas and push reforms in key sectors of the economy. Most of these Diasporians are change agents in their own right.
Although many Nigerians are not upbeat about seeing some recycled politicians, former governors and senators into the cabinet, it will be wishful thinking not to expect politicians to feature in the ministerial list. Obviously, President Tinubu will need them by his side before, during and after elections. The second term or ‘continuity’ syndrome is often considered in appeasing the old brigade politicians who know how to get the votes. The votes matter because without the votes and victory at elections, the government doesn’t get formed in the first place.
If anything the foremost highlight of the ministerial list is the inclusion of more women into the cabinet in line with the 35% affirmative action AA and the Beijing declaration and platform for action 1995. Recall that the federal high court sitting in Abuja had in April 2022 ruled that the government should reserve 35% of public offices for women in line with the national gender policy (NGP) 2006. It is not yet Uhuru but Nigeria looks on the verge to achieving the 35% AA some day.
Albeit President Tinubu appointed 7 women out of 48 nominees in his cabinet to score a paltry 14 out of 35%, it was nonetheless a good effort and hope-rising for women in the efforts to bridge gender gaps. One thing that seems to drive Mr President’s choice of the calibre of women to appoint as ministers is community service. Humanitarian service, charity and community activities seem to be the criteria used by Mr President in chosen his women rather than just ‘any woman’
Take an example of Barrister Uju Kennedy whose background has been community service and philanthropy. She was reported to have built and donated hospitals to the less privileged in some states and communities across the country. She is also reported to have established educational scholarship schemes for
underprivileged children. This shows a good link with community service and is an attestation of her willingness to lift people out of poverty.
The list of ministerial nominees was not without its twists and turns as one of the nominees from Kano state, Maryam Shetty got booted off the list at the very last minute. Shetty was reported to have gotten a wind of her ‘sack’ while at the National Assembly premises ‘on the queue’ as she awaits her turn to be called into the red chamber for her screening. There was an outpouring of support for the young lady as many Nigerians believe she should have been spared and listed as the third ministerial nominee from Kano. After all, Ogun state has three ministerial nominees on the list. The young lady Shetty has paid her dues in the APC over many years and still counting. She understands APC’s vision for positive change in line with President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda. It is only fair to encourage and acknowledge her contributions with a role in Tinubu’s administration.
Youths featured to some extent in President Tinubu’s ministerial list although there were high expectations albeit dashed, that the old brigades will give way to young fresh heads but alas! not this time. Among the prominent youths in the ministerial list is Barrister Bello Mohammed Goronyo, the nominee from Sokoto state and grassroots politician who is expected to bring his wealth of experience into the Tinubu administration. Barrister Goronyo served and rose through the ranks from the local to state and now federal level which gives him a good understanding and wealth of experience on what grassroots development and community service entail.
Bosun Tijjani, the so-called #EndSars protester and one of the three nominees from Ogun state is an accomplished I.T guru. He is the CEO and cofounder of the CcHub, a technology hub that focuses on ICT among other relevant areas of socioeconomic development. He is expected to bring his wealth of experience in the ICT sector in the use of technology to fight the current high level insecurity in Nigeria and reposition Nigeria’s development goals in line with the modern digital era. The ICT sector can be the biggest tool for job creation in Nigeria if effectively utilised. Unemployment in the country is at double digits (41%). This is scary and a boost to the current insecurity that is threatening to overwhelm Nigeria. All hands must be on deck to bring the high rate of unemployment to a manageable minimum through the ICT (skills acquisition) and other relevant sectors of the economy.
It will be left to be seen if President Tinubu will assign the ICT guru and techpreneur Bosun to the all-important communications ministry that requires a knowledgeable, well-equipped and genuine ICT expert to implement the desired reforms; fight insecurity and create jobs.
Nigeria is the only country on planet earth where kidnappers and terrorists freely use mobile phones to negotiate ransom payment without being tracked and digitally demobilised. It is critical that the incoming minister of communications develops the right ICT framework that will digitally demobilise phone-calls-for-ransom by bandits, kidnappers and other terrorists so as to track and corrupt such calls. Stopping the use of mobile phones by bandits and terrorists to negotiate ransom payment will mean fixing 75% of the problem of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria. Fighting insecurity is critical to the success of the Tinubu administration because whatever level of development that would be achieved by President Tinubu will not be appreciated by the citizens if the security of life and property is not guaranteed. If farmers cannot go to farms, they will not understand anything that the government has done to improve their lives. In many parts of Nigeria particularly the North, farmers cannot go to their farms because of the criminal activities of bandits who kidnap or kill innocent farmers. In fact in some parts of Niger state, the song sing is ‘go to farm and commit suicide’.
Moreover, section 14(2)(b) of the constitution, federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is clear, explicit and unambiguous that ‘the provision of security to life and property SHALL be the primary purpose of government.
In a twist of fortune, nominee Hon. Bosun found his past utterances hunting him and starring him in the face right on the podium during his screening by the senate. He called senators ‘maroons’ during the #EndSars protest in 2020 where the nation lost hundreds of innocent lives and property worth over N10 trillion. Bosun had tweeted unprintable names against some political leaders including senators but when prompted by the senators during the screening, he accepted what he called ‘his mistakes’ and took the easy way out to apologise. Apology accepted but many young Nigerians were not impressed by Bosun’s stand and thought even if he has to apologise, he should be man enough to tell the senate and other Nigerians why he said what he said during, before and after the #EndSars protests in October 2020. Hon. Bosun should have giving details on why during the #EndSars protests in 2020, before and after, he said he never believed in Nigeria and was confident that the union called Nigeria will not work because our leaders have failed us. It is interesting that ministerial nominee Bosun has now made a U-turn and believes that the union called Nigeria will work after he got a ministerial appointment. All the same, Bosun’s nomination is well deserved and the country needs young fresh heads like him to achieve its goals.
Politicians featured prominently in the list. Quite honestly the inclusion of the so-called old brigade politicians didn’t go down well with many Nigerians especially the youths. Former state governors, senators and other recycled politicians shouldn’t really be included in a cabinet in which modern ideas are required to reposition Nigeria’s economy. These recycled politicians were in government before but did they change the system? To this extent, one could say that the inclusion of recycled politicians was more out of political expediency than bringing new ideas into governance.
The country desperately needs new and modern ideas to achieve the renewed Hope agenda of Mr President. A lot of people argue and rightly so, that there are ambassadorial, advisory and other non-executive roles these recycled politicians can play in the Tinubu administration rather than a cabinet role. By the way, the cabinet; federal executive council (FEC) is the engine room of governance at the federal level and decisions taken at the FEC will have a resounding impact on the other two tiers of government; the state and local government.
Even as they rejoice over their nomination, the would-be ministers should not be overwhelmed by the euphoria of the moment to forget that President Tinubu is hungry for results. Obviously, Mr President wants to achieve his renewed hope agenda of economic prosperity and security for all Nigerians. The mentality of the past Buhari administration where ministers were retained on their roles for a full two-term 8 year tenure will not be the case in the current Tinubu administration. In fact, it is fair to say that Mr President will rejig his cabinet after two years or even less and unless a minister performs incredibly well in the role, he/she will be shown the exit door. As a matter of fact, Mr President will effectively apply the ‘hire and fire’ method on any minister who fails to perform.
It will be left to be seen whether or not Mr President will assign performance targets to ministers and deploy the set, monitor and evaluate (SME) system in keeping tabs on the performance of his ministers. This will be a drastic departure from the previous Buhari administration where ministers were given a blank cheque and ‘free ride’ without any form of monitoring and/or evaluation.
It is time to work. So said President Tinubu hence the incoming ministers should tighten their seat belt, be creative, patriotic, selfless and ready in the task to create the New Nigeria of our dreams and in line with Mr President’s renewed hope agenda.
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