Nigerians have high hopes and worry as they await Tinubu’s ministerial
Undoubtedly, one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the nation, not just by Nigerians at home but also by those in the diaspora, is the release of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet list.
There are hints that the cabinet list may be made public on Thursday after the vacation.
The president’s list of candidates for various ministry leadership positions, which will be included in the ministerial, is a crucial part of the president’s vision for the nation, and Nigerians have great expectations for it.
Nigerians claim that they are looking forward to a new government that can combat corruption and insecurity while fostering economic growth. According to them, Nigeria needs capable people who have demonstrated success in their respective sectors to propel progress and development.
Many of them who spoke to DAILY POST expressed their optimism that President Tinubu’s selections would reflect Nigeria’s diversity and inclusion and that the new ministers would be capable of addressing the numerous difficulties the nation faces.
Segun Awosanya, also known as Segalinks, a supporter of institutional reforms, expressed his admiration for the Tinubu administration’s resolve in one of the survey responses.
The next group of ministers in Nigeria, according to Awosanya, a rights activist and the founder of the Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation (SIAF), must have traits like competence, experience, honesty, vision, teamwork, inventiveness, and communication skills.
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In a dynamic country like Nigeria and under the new administration of Ahmed Bola Tinubu, he stated, “There are numerous attributes that one might view as vital for the ministers, some of which include competency. It should not be about cronyism or religion, but rather the ministers should be extremely skilled in their fields of responsibility, with the abilities, expertise, and knowledge necessary to carry out their tasks successfully.
“Experience is number two. Ministers with experience in the respective fields or in government will be better equipped to comprehend the problems the nation faces and create effective solutions.
“Contrary to popular belief, being a minister is not a demanding profession. A minister is a leader who brings the administration’s vision to the area in which he has been appointed to direct the bureaucracy. The permanent secretaries and other ministry officials will always be around, but they require a visionary in that field to lead them and possibly even implement significant improvements.
“Therefore, having the necessary experience is crucial. Ministers should be there to line their own pockets; they don’t even touch money and aren’t known for sharing it.
Integrity is a further crucial element. Our preachers need to be of strong moral character and have a history of being trustworthy, open, and responsible. You will destroy the beliefs, trusts, hearts, and minds gained during the elections if you bring someone in only because they helped finance your campaign.
“Inviting individuals with dubious morals lowers morale among the populace. Divide a country, and Nigeria is already divided, and you can destroy it. So, the job is halfway complete. The current state of affairs is that anything could destabilise the nation. Thus, the government should use extreme caution while making certain choices.
The next requirement is that the ministers must have a distinct vision for the nation and be able to outline a plan for accomplishing development objectives based on that vision.
“They must have thoroughly assimilated Mr. President’s policies, plans, and programmes in order to reduce them to bite-sized pieces that the bureaucrats can easily consume in order to develop their strategies and plan of action for fulfilling that promise to Nigerians.
“The president can’t be everywhere at once. The minister would be responsible for bringing that vision to certain regions and making sure that the people were reached in accordance with the promises made.
The fifth is teamwork. It is crucial because we want a situation where the ministers view themselves as an integrated whole and collaborate effectively to achieve a shared objective.
“The six is focused on outcomes. Nigerians need ministers who are focused on getting things done, not on where they can quit. They should be committed to getting things done and be prepared to take responsibility for their actions.
“Nine is creativity. President Tinubu must refrain from enlisting agbada-clad individuals or those who boast that they control the government. We seek ministers who are receptive to fresh perspectives and eager to adopt cutting-edge solutions to the problems facing the nation. Without innovation, nothing will change. Therefore, they had better take another look at their list if there were no creative individuals on the list of ministers.
“For me, communication comes last. Effective communicators should lead our next crop of ministers. They must be able to communicate policy, interact with key public figures, and work with the media.
“Ministers must not harbour ill will towards the populace. Because each time there is a void, malicious people can fill it with gossip and lies, and you will begin to react.
“Nobody wants a reactive government; we want a proactive government that will have the people’s trust and that will help us understand the fundamentals of our coming together,” said the speaker.
President Tinubu was advised to nominate skilled technocrats to delicate posts by another respondent, Prince Saviour Iche, national president of the Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN).
Instead of appointing a lawyer or engineer to lead the ministry, he argued, “Government should appoint someone with a business background who would listen to manufacturers’ complaints.”
Additionally, Alhaji Rasheed Awofeso, a social worker with the Child and Community Response Initiative (CCRI), stated that he anticipates a ministerial list to be made up of talented individuals who are full of suggestions for how to address the numerous difficulties confronting Nigerians.
“Insecurity is one of Nigeria’s biggest problems,”
“The nation has struggled with the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast for more than ten years; this conflict has resulted in millions of people being displaced and thousands of lives being lost.
“In addition, banditry and intercommunal violence have increased in other regions of the nation, causing further casualties and damage to property.
“Nigerians anticipate that the new ministers would possess the knowledge and experience needed to manage the nation’s security issues and establish long-lasting peace. There is also anticipation that the new cabinet would be able to address Nigeria’s long-standing major problem with corruption.
“The ability of the new ministers to boost economic growth, generate jobs, and lessen poverty is another key expectation. The government must take action to ensure continued economic growth and development as Nigeria’s economy emerges from a downturn.
Additionally, problems with infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and agriculture must be addressed. Nigerians are hoping that the new ministers would be able to make considerable progress in these areas since they are all urgently in need of attention, Awofeso continued.
A couple of the policies that have raised the cost of living include the elimination of subsidies and the devaluation of the naira.
A director of the Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), Chamberlain Etukudoh, bemoaned the devastating impact of some of these policies on the youth of Nigeria against that backdrop.
Then, in order to lessen the impact of the tough times on the youths, he emphasised the necessity for the government to give priority in assigning the best hands to youth-related portfolios like the ministries of human affairs and youths/sports.
Nigerians are already irrationally enraged. This is due to the fact that if nothing is done, unemployment and underemployment will continue to rise over the next few months. I anticipate that the administration will give priority to important departments like Humanitarian Affairs and Youth/Sport in order to identify and address some of the issues that young people are facing.
Actor and activist Oluwaseun Ogedengbe from Akure said, “I am not too thrilled with this government, since we all know that they are running on a stolen mandate, and I pray that the judiciary doesn’t get corrupted.
“I hope they rule in the awe of God and in the best interests of the numerous people and young people who turned out to vote on February 25. However, I would like the President to take competence into account when making his appointment because we have a nation to govern.
“One of the issues with the Nigerian political system is trying to force round pegs into square holes; the previous administration made sensitive appointments that seemed out of place to Nigerians. For instance, what is the background of the former youth and sports ministers? Even the education minister seems clueless about the responsibilities assigned to him.
We don’t want someone managing three portfolios when they can only handle one. Buhari assigned a lawyer to handle delicate sectors like housing, works, and power. Some ministries ought to be run by technocrats. That oversight cannot be made by this government, he said.
