CHALLENGE BEFORE THE NEW MINISTERS

The task is daunting but not insurmountable; the welfare of the people should be uppermost

President Goodluck Jonathan last week swore in 11 new ministers who had been cleared by the Senate. He also dropped Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi as the Minister of Sports.

The new ministers assigned portfolios included: Aliyu Gusau (Defence); Boni Haruna (Youth Development); Tamuno Danagogo (Sports); Abduljelili Adesiyan (Police Affairs); Aminu Wali (Foreign Affairs); Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi (Lands and Housing) and Lawrencia Laraba Mallam (Environment). Four were also appointed ministers of state: Asabe Asmau Ahmed (Agriculture); Khaliru Alhassan (Health); Musiliu Obanikoro (Defence) and Mohammed Wakil (Power).

Given the magnitude of the challenge facing the nation today, none of the ministers should be in any doubt that the responsibility that lies before him or her is enormous. While political considerations may have informed most of the choices, what the ministers now have to do is prove that they have what it takes to man their respective portfolios and that the trust invested in them by the president is not misplaced. Each of them has to perform, and perform creditably. Each must begin to identify very quickly what needs to be accomplished and set out an implementation plan that is realistic, transparent and can be evaluated.

Nigerians are desperate for, and deserve, ministers who understand their needs and problems, and who will work tirelessly to address them. In those critical sectors to which the new ministers have been assigned, Nigerians do not want to see further displays of ostentation on the part of ministers who seem insensitive to their plight. They do not want ministers who would just play to the gallery, saying what they think the people want to hear, but do absolutely nothing and then make lame excuses by blaming everyone and everything but their own incompetence. They do not want to be told that huge amounts of money have been allocated to execute key projects only to find out that the money has disappeared into the pockets of those charged with ensuring execution or their cronies. Put simply, they do not want to continue on the same familiar road that has not led the nation anywhere.

It is therefore incumbent on the ministers to reflect on the failings of their predecessors and determine that they will leave office with their heads held high. They should understand that if this opportunity were wasted it would not just be to their personal detriment, but also to the detriment of the wellbeing of 150 million people. It is equally important for some of them to know that there is no need to fix what is not broken. In the specific instances of Sports and Aviation where some measure of achievements were recorded by the former ministers, their successors should be able to build on that.

However, of all the new ministers, perhaps the one on whom most Nigerians place much hope is Lt General Mohammed Gusau (rtd) who has predictably been handed the defence portfolio. At a time the nation is in a serious battle with the Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeastern part of the country, Gusau comes to his assignment with vast experience in both the military and the intelligence services. This experience should come handy in the coming weeks and months as the authorities try to rein in the insurgents and bring to a halt their murderous activities.

Finally, it is assumed that the newly appointed ministers have the intelligence, integrity, temperament and discipline to leave their marks as they have been given the chance of a lifetime to serve their country with dignity and honour. They should remember that the president was elected because he promised change. In agreeing to serve in his administration as members of the Federal Executive Council, they have committed themselves to being an integral part of that process. At the end of the day, Nigerians will hold them to account.