Part of the sanitising agenda of the new FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesome Wike, is to ensure that there are no slums in Nigeria’s capital city, especially as it aspires to rub shoulders with other world capitals. Anyone coming to Abuja whether for hustle or otherwise, should have an address he is going to, either to stay with a relative, friend or in a hotel.
By all means, the minister should not allow the Lagos ugly scenario to rear its head where some people set out to Lagos from their villages or wherever with no where to stay but to be sleeping under the bridges, market places pending when they are able to find their feet. Slum settlements, uncompleted buildings are breeding grounds for undesirable elements.
Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, media entrepreneur, public relations expert, etc., who happens to be the publisher of Blueprint newspaper, is in familiar ground as Minister of Information and National Orientation. Indeed, on arriving his new office, Minister Malagi reportedly told the crowd that had assembled to welcome him, “This is …… reporting for duty”. His task is majorly public relations, to project the federal government’s activities to the public in good light, carrying along the media. However, a major problem he should endeavour to tackle is the issue of fake news, misinformation and outright defamation by especially the social media. He has to liaise with the Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, to enact appropriate laws in this respect.
The future is here and now. Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy headed by Bosun Tijani is a ministry of the 21st century. Nigeria has to move with the times and join the digital train. In this era, it should be the right of Nigerians to have access to the most modern information, communication, technology systems at affordable prices.
The federal government has succeeded in getting both MTN and Airtel to have their shares quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, thereby enabling Nigerians to be part owners of those telecommunication companies in Nigeria. But their airtime and data tariff are still relatively high for the average Nigerian. Having an internet-enabled mobile phone is increasingly becoming a necessity in this 21st century. Existing telecommunication firms should be made to improve their efficiency and service delivery. By the way Minister Tijani could revive the apparently moribund ntel to rival MTN, Airtel, etc., and offer Nigerians cheaper rates.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has his job cut out for him. There is general hunger in the land evident in high prices of agricultural products and related goods. The addition of ‘Food Security’ to the ministry’s nomenclature stresses its importance. A country that cannot feed itself is doomed. Food security is a task that must be accomplished. Given our rich land resources, fertile soil, Nigeria has no reason to be lacking in food security. The addition of ‘Poverty Alleviation’ to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is an acknowledged by this government that there is poverty in the land and its determination to tackle it headlong. And many Nigerians are looking up to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu, for succour in this respect.
The duo of Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru and Minister of Defence (State) Bello Matawalle, are well aware of the enormous responsibility on their shoulders given multiple forms of insecurity plaguing the country. Their task is to eliminate nefarious activities of non state actors, terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, etc; in brief to secure our country on land, sea and air. There can be no meaningful development in an atmosphere of insecurity. A peaceful environment is a sine qua non for prosperity. Minister Doris Antie’s job of attracting investment to the country and boosting local production would be made less burdensome if peace reigns supreme, among others, as Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment.
All ministers whose ministries are directly linked to the economy are under the radar because about the sole agenda of this government for now is to return the country to the path of growth and prosperity and so improve its socio-economic indices as unemployment, inflation, out of school rates, maternal/morbidity rates, etc.
Apart from providing, harnessing water for irrigation and other agricultural purposes, can the new Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev make pipe borne water available to most homes in Nigeria? As it is, some 90 per cent of Nigerians rely on private boreholes, wells or streams for drinking water, cooking, etc.
With a Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development; Ministry of Maritime and Blue Economy, what remains for the Ministry of transportation, what is the minister in charge of? Land transport, specifically rail transport? The Muhammadu Buhari administration did a good job in that sector.
The new Transportation Minister should build on that and expand it further, especially as rail transport is a veritable means of mass transit. Of course, the Ministry of Women Affairs (the establishment of which came about through influence of former First Lady, Maryam Babangida) is to advance interests of the womenfolk; which include pushing for affirmative action, that is 35 percent women representation in political and government affairs. However, the minister, Uju Ohaneye has to strike a balance between tokenism and merit.
Finance Minister, Wale Edun is also named as the Coordinating Minister of the Economy. This is understandable enough. It means he is to coordinate other ministries related to the economy. Then we have Dr, Ali Pate as “Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare”. This is not clear enough to me. The government would have to spell out what his duties entail specifically.
Concluded.
