New ministers recently approved by the Senate take charge in their ministries

After a long delay, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 swore in 16 new ministers.  It was an occasion characterised by suspense, surprise and laughter.  There was an ovation as the president announced Dora Akunyili, former director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, as the new minister of information and communications in place of John Odeh who has been moved to the ministry of environment.

Adamu Aliero, former governor of Kebbi State and a serving senator, was made the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, while Hassan Mohammed Lawal was named new minister of works and housing.

Diezani Allison-Madueke, former minister of transport is now minister of mines and steel development. Those who retained their portfolios include Micheal Aondoakaa, attorney-general and minister of justice; Syaddi Abba Ruma, minister of agriculture and water resources;  Ojo Maduekwe, minister of foreign affairs; Bagudu Hirse, minister of state foreign affairs II; Aishatu Dukku, minister of state education,  Gen. Godwin Abbe (rtd), minister of interior; Odien Ajumogobia, minister of state, Petroleum; Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, minister of youth development and Remi Babalola, minister of state, finance.

Twelve of the old ministers were posted to new ministries.  They include Shamsudeen Usman, former minister of finance, now deputy chairman/minister of national planning commission;  Adetokunboh Kayode, former minister of culture and tourism, now minister of labour; Godwin Orubebe,  former minister of special duties is now minister of state, Niger Delta Affairs; Muhammed Lawal,  former minister of labour, now minister of works & housing. Others are, Idi Hong, former minister of state, culture and tourism, now minister of state, health; John Odom, former minister of state environment, now minister of state, FCT; while Grace Ekpiwhre, former minister of science and technology, is now minister of state, works and housing, just as A. B. Zaku, former minister of state science and technology is now upgraded to full minister of science and technology; Odey, former minister of information and communication, is now minister of environment. 

Ademola Seriki, former minister of state, agriculture and water resources, now minister of state, defence; Fidelia Njeze,  former minister of state defence is now minister of state, agriculture and water resources. The 16 new ministers sworn in are: Babatunde Omotoba, minister of aviation;   Senator Bello J. Gada, minister of culture and tourism;  Shettima Mustapha, minister of defence; and Sam Egwu,  minister of education. Adamu Jibril Maigari takes charge as minister of state, foreign affairs I, Babatunde Osotimehin is the new minister of health, while  Aliyu Ikra Bilbisis is minister of state, information & communications.  The ministry of petroleum now has a full fledged minister.  He is Rilwanu Lukman.

Ibrahim Lame is the minister of police Affairs, while Arch. Nuhu Wya is the minister of  state, power.  Sani Ndanusa, is minister/chairman, National Sports Commission. Ibrahim Bio takes charge as the minister of transport. Salamatu H. Sulaiman is minister of women affairs and A. Kazaure is minister of special duties.

While inaugurating the new ministers, President Yar’Adua said they were entering “a new dispensation – one which scrupulously demands pro-action, establishes definitive performance benchmarks, and insists on effective service delivery, strict adherence to due process, and unwavering focus on the policy objectives of this administration as encapsulated in the Seven-Point Agenda.”  He said these were the minimal standards that would guarantee continued membership of the Executive Council of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “While congratulating you all, I would like to admonish that you see your appointment at all times as a sacred call to national service and not an opportunity for self aggrandisement or the pursuit of narrow, selfish interests,” he said. 

The president noted that the task of nation building and national transformation calls for honesty of purpose, sincerity, consummate diligence, and unmediated commitment to the national cause and that the people of this nation demand no less from each and every one of them.  “Our every act must be guided by the highest standards of integrity and the fear of God,” the President said.

He reiterated his administration’s total abhorrence of corruption in all its ramifications and absolute compliance with established rules, regulations and procedures in the conduct of all government businesses. He warned that any proven case of corrupt practices or non-conformity with the rule of law and constitutionality will be visited with the strictest sanctions. “In this period of stark economic realities at home and unprecedented global economic challenges, we all must begin to think out of the box, recommit to the ideal of prudent and judicious application of resources, and stay faithful to the principles of value for money, transparency, accountability and the rule of law.”

The Senate has last Tuesday December 16, 2008 confirmed Uffot Ekaette, former secretary to the federal government, SGF and Achike  Udenwa, former governor of Imo state as ministers. The confirmation of these nominees has brought the number of ministers so far approved by the Senate to 19.  The Senate last week rejected the nomination of Abdulrahman Adamu, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, nominee from Adamawa State, and deferred the confirmation of Humphrey Abah from Kogi State due to contention among senators from the state.

During the screening, Ekaette recommended eavesdropping on calls of ministry officials as a way of tackling corruption and said that in his eight years as SGF, no government official was queried for living above his means.

The procedure for the screening did not, however, go down well with some of the senators. Uche Chukwumerije (Abia North) took a swipe at the senate tradition of asking some ministerial nominees to take a bow and go without being asked questions, saying it is anti-intellectual.

The New Ministers And Their Portfolios As Assigned By President Yar’adua

1    Mike Aondoakaa               -               Attorney Gen & Minister of Justice

2    S. Abba Ruma                   -               Minister of Agric & Water Resources

3   Fidelia A. Njeze                 -               Min of State, Agric & Water Resources

4    Babatunde Omotoba          -               Minister of Aviation

5    Senator Bello J. Gada        -               Minister of Culture & Tourism

6    Shettima Mustapha            -               Minister of Defence

7    Ademola Seriki                 -               Minister of State, Defence

8    Sam Egwu                         -               Hon. Minister of Education

9    Aishatu Dukku                  -               Hon. Minister of State, Education

10    John Odeh                       -               Hon. Minister of Environment

11    Senator M.A. Aliero       -               Hon. Minister of FCT

12   J.C. Odom                        -               Hon. Minister of State, FCT

13    Remi Babalola                 -               Minister of State, Finance

14    Ojo Maduekwe               -               Minister of Foreign Affairs

15    Jibril Maigari                   -               Minister of State Foreign Affairs I

16    Bagudu Hirse                  -               Minister of State Foreign Affairs II

17    B. Osotimehin                 -               Minister of Health

18    A.I. Hong                        -               Hon Minister of State, Health

19    Dora Akunyili                 -               Minister of Information & Communications

20    Aliyu Ikra Bilbis             -          Hon Minister of State, Information &                                                                                                                                                                                  Communications

21    General Godwin Abbe    -               Minister of Interior

22    A. Kayode                       -               Minister of Labour

23   Deziani Allison-Madueke-               Minister of Mines & Steel Development

24   Shamsudeen Usman         -               Deputy Chairman/Hon Minister of National                                                                                                           Planning Commission

25    G. Orubebe                     -               Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs

26    Rilwanu Lukman             -               Minister of Petroleum

27    O. Ajumogobia               -               Minister of State, Petroleum

28     I.Y. Lame                       -               Minister of Police Affairs

29    Arch. Nuhu Wya             -               Hon Minister of State, Power

30    A. B. Zaku                      -               Minister of Science & Technology

31    S.M. Ndanusa                 -               Hon Minister/Chairman National Sports                                                                                                                 Commission

32    Ibrahim Bio                     -               Hon Minister of Transport

33    S.H. Sulaiman                 -               Minister of Women Affairs

34    Hassan M. Lawal            -               Minister of Works & Housing

35    Grace Ekpiwhre              -               Minister of State, Works & Housing

36    A. Olasunkanmi              -               Minister of Youth Development

37    A. Kazaure                      -               Minister of Special Duties