President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the long-awaited portfolios of ministers, who were sworn in on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
However, the President named himself Minister of Petroleum while Dr, Ibe Kachikwu, who is the current Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was named Minister of State (Petroleum).
Also, contrary to claims that some ministers-designate would not receive any portfolio, everyone was allocated a ministry to work in.
And towards the lean cabinet objective of the government, the President collapsed the ministries of Power, Works and Housing into one, naming former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola the minister for this single entity.
Appraising the portfolio allocation, President Buhari said he ensured round pegs were placed in round holes to avoid non-performance.
The President said: “We are optimistic that bringing these set of ministers into the service of our country today, is a step in the right direction and timely move towards realising our positive goals for our country.
“Since we assumed office in May, I had been mindful of the need to ensure that the appointment of new ministers translate into a round pegs in round holes while showing sensitivity to our diversity as a people and our various positions as groups of stakeholders of our country.
“I have also been conscious of the need not to repeat such mistakes of the past where the right people were allocated the wrong portfolios which translated into their performing poorly to our collective detriment despite their obvious capability.”
President Buhari said the government was determined to diversify the economy to make the agriculture and solid mineral sectors major revenue earners.
“The primary aim is to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of rice, wheat and to become a major consumer and exporter of those items as well as solid minerals,” he added.
President Buhari said the administration would pursue policies that would generate employment, improve security, tackle corruption and rout Boko Haram insurgency and other vices.
The President said his administration had made progress in its short period, which should be taken as indication that more could be achieved through common resolve and patriotism by all.
He said the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) had conserved foreign exchange and made money available for governance.
The president added that the Central Bank of Nigeria had implemented specific policies to strengthen the naira and preserve foreign reserves.
He said his administration was poised to sustain economic growth through transparent governance, which had led to a reduction of “cynicism” about government.
After the inauguration, the Federal Executive Council held its inaugural meeting.
And after the first FEC meeting, the new Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Fashola, proceeded to assume duty.
Fashola was welcomed into the Federal Secretariat with rousing ovation from the staff of the ministry and stepped into his office at about 3.15 p.m.
He was ushered into the office by Mrs Grace Papka, the Director in charge of Human Resources of the ministry. Thereafter he went into private meeting with the directors in the ministry.
Similarly, the Minister of state for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri, also arrived at the complex where he joined Fashola and the directors at the meeting.
Amaechi Lands At Transport Ministry
Also, the new Minister for Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has pledged to complete all ongoing rail projects around the country and extend rail lines to all parts of the Nigeria.
Amaechi made the pledge during his first day in office as minister shortly after his inauguration by President Buhari.
He said that he would resume work fully on November 17 when the new Permanent Secretary, Mr Sabiu Zakari, would equally assume duty at the ministry.
The minister added that his meeting with the Permanent Secretary and the Directors on November 17 would begin by looking at the budget and its level of implementation.
According to him, the meeting is necessary to chart a new course toward completing all ongoing projects, especially the rail and extending it to different part of the country.
Amaechi, however, called for cooperation from all parastatals and agencies of the ministry and the aviation sector.
He promised to ensure a smooth working relationship with the Minister of State for Aviation for the development of the sector as well as meeting the expectations of Nigerians.
The minister also urged the staff to always play by rule, adding that “I belief in principles of discharging my duties.’’
“We are interested in completing all ongoing rail projects around the country because we don’t want to disappoint Nigerians.
“It is important that we realise that we have a mandate to deliver on our promises and there is competition among the ministers to deliver and we don’t want to take last.
Amaechi also emphasised on the issue of corruption, warning that anybody that would work with him must not approach him for money.
In his speech, the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, said that it was an era of new thinking for the actualisation of the change agenda of the Federal Government.
Sirika added that the era of talking tough without acting was over, stressing that whatever was said was what would be done.
He assured that the Buhari administration would deliver on its promises, adding that the government was aware of the high hope and expectation of Nigerian.
Sirika pledged to ensure a harmonious working relationship with Amaechi to achieved results in the implementation of policies and programmes.
Also, Zakar, who was also appointed by the president on Tuesday, expresses optimism that the new ministers would deliver on the visions and missions of the change agenda of the government.
Zakari pledged to give maximum cooperation to the new ministers to assist them in the discharge of their duties effectively.
Below is the full lists of ministers, their states of origin and portfolios:
1. Chris Ngige – (Anambra) Minister of Labour & Employment
2. Kayode Fayemi- (Ekiti) Minister of Solid Minerals
3. Rotimi Amaechi – (Rivers) Minister of Transportation
4. Babatunde Fashola -(Lagos) Minister of Power, Works and Housing
5. Abdulrahman Dambazau- (Kano) Minister of Interior
6. Aisha Alhassan – (Taraba) Minister of Women Affairs
7. Ogbonaya Onu- (Ebonyi) Minister of Science and Technology
8. Kemi Adeosun – (Ogun) Minister of Finance
9. Abubakar Malami – (Kebbi) Minister of Justice
10. Sen. Hadi Sirika – (Katsina) Minister of State, Aviation
11. Barr. Adebayo Shittu – (Oyo) Minister of Communication
12. Suleiman Adamu – (Jigawa) Minister of Water Resources
13. Solomon Dalong – (Plateau) Minister for Youth and Sports
14. Ibe Kachikwu – (Delta) Minister of State, Petroleum
15. Osagie Ehanire – (Edo) Minister of State, Health
16. Audu Ogbeh – (Benue) Minister of Agriculture
17. Udo Udo Udoma – (Akwa Ibom) Minister of Budget & National Planning
18. Lai Mohammed – (Kwara) Minister of Information
19. Amina Mohammed – (Gombe) Minister of Environment
20. Ibrahim Usman Jibril – (Nasarawa) Minister of State, Environment
21. Hajia Khadija Bukar Ibrahim- (Yobe) Minister of State, Foreign Affairs
22. Claudius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo) Minister of State, Niger Delta
23. Prof Anthony Onwuka (Imo) Minister of State, Education
24. Geoffrey Onyema (Enugu) Minister of Foreign Affairs
25. Dan Ali (Zamfara) Minister of Defence
26. Barr James Ocholi (Kogi) Minister of State, Labour and Employment
27. Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna) Minister of State Budget and National Planning
28. Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia) Trade, Investment and Industry
29. Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa) Minister of Federal Capital Territory
30. Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Bornu) Minister of State, Power
31. Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto) Minister of State, Trade and Investment
32. Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa) Minister of State, Agriculture
33. Adamu Adamu (Bauchi) Minister of Education
34. Isaac Adewole (Osun) Minister of Health
35. Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Niger) Minister of State, Solid Minerals
36. Pastor Usani Uguru (Cross River) Minister of Niger Delta
37. President Muhammadu Buhari- Minister of Petroleum
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