Follow Us on Google
The newly inaugurated ministers have been regaling Nigerians about what they will do or not do to better the lives of Nigerians in the next few months. We are used so such drama meant to impress. There is nothing new about it. What is important is that the tasks ahead of the new ministers are enormous. However, they are surmountable. Nigerians are expecting so much from the new ministers. Nigerians are seeing them as a team, who should work together to achieve the goals of the Tinubu administration. Good enough, some of them have already swung into action. Others are still studying their handover notes or familiarizing with staff of their ministries. In all sectors, the country is not doing well and the signs are there for all to see.
For the former governor of Ebonyi State and Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, there are many federal roads begging for urgent attention in practically all the states of the federation. He has enormous challenge before him. As an engineer and someone who did a lot of works in his state, in terms of road infrastructure, Umahi is in a familiar turf. He is likely to replicate what he did in Ebonyi at the centre and even do more. The sky is his limit. His promise to introduce concrete road construction nationwide is the best way to go. That Nigerian roads don’t last is due to poor construction. Building roads with concrete will make them last for many years.
Similarly, the former governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, it is about the restoration of Abuja Master Plan and work, work and work. No doubt, Wike did so well in Rivers State, which he literally turned into a huge construction site. Even as a Minister of State, Education, Wike performed very well. He also promised to demolish illegal structures, among other things, in the FCT. He should also provide affordable housing for those in Abuja suburbs, now turned into ghettos due to poor planning. Wike has the ability to sanitize the FCT if given the chance and the resources to do so. Abuja like any other growing city, needs satellite towns with affordable housing. His resolve to clean Abuja is a welcome development.
The promise by the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun that the present economic pains of Nigerians arising from the fuel subsidy removal and other policies of the new government will soon be over is soothing. Edun will do a lot of work to ensure that the present economic pains will be over soon. Edun is coming to the post at a time the economy is thoroughly battered. The economic team which he coordinates must get it right because every other thing revolves around the economy. If the economy fails, everything else will fail. Edun should check the sliding value of the naira against major international currencies, especially, the US dollar. The wobbling economy cannot be revived without diversification and job creation. Creating more jobs can hardly be done without having steady supply of electricity. All sectors revolve around the economy. The economy has impact on health, education, and others.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has said that he is open to criticism. That is good. He should also ensure that there is rule of law and obedience to court orders by the federal government and its agencies. The new Minister of Justice must ensure quick dispensation of justice. It is sad that cases drag in courts for years, especially at the appeal courts. Some of these cases drag so long to the extent that some of the parties died before the matter is resolved. Although justice delayed is justice denied, in Nigeria justice is not only delayed, it is equally denied in many instances due to corruption. He should tackle the monumental corruption in the nation’s justice adjudication system.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, wants to prioritize health security and reduce medical tourism. Pate is coming to the job with a lot of experience and he will expectedly do well in the sector. Besides, he should ensure that Nigerians have affordable healthcare services. An implementable national health insurance scheme would have ensured that all Nigerians can access health care services without paying out of pocket, which is a times very daunting. Alternatively, the government can grant all Nigerians free healthcare services by bearing the burden of their health insurance. While Pate’s promise to reduce medical tourism is good, he should do more to curb brain drain in the health sector. The unbridled brain drain in the sector is contributory to the booming medical tourism among our political elites and other affluent Nigerians.
For Pate to revamp the health sector, prioritize health security and reduce medical tourism, the national health budget should be increased to at least 15 percent. With the present paltry health budget of between four and five percent and at times seven percent, he would not do much. The current salaries and allowances of medical doctors cannot curb the migration of our medical doctors to United Kingdom, United States and Canada. The condition of service in the health sector can hardly attract any foreign medical expert to come and work in the country. With dearth of medical doctors and medical equipment and poor funding, reviving the comatose health sector will be a herculean task.
In the same vein, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, is hopeful that the federal government will lift 133 million Nigerians out of poverty. The new minister is enthusiastic on how she is going to achieve the target through different intervention initiatives. Like the minister, we believe that the target is achievable. For example, China has achieved it. Other countries have done so. Nigeria can do it. It is not an impossible task. Although the Muhammadu Buhari administration made a similar promise, unfortunately, he could not deliver it. If Edu succeeds in lifting 133 million poor Nigerians in the next four years, she should be highly applauded.
For the ministers in charge of solid minerals, power sector, aviation, education, agriculture, sports and others, the tasks are plenty but must be done and done well. All of you have expressed optimism of achieving your goals and there is no doubt that you can achieve them if you work diligently and patriotically. The solid minerals sector is Nigeria’s next oil. The new minister of solid minerals must tap the abundant resources in that sector for the benefit of all Nigerians. The reign of illegal miners and their foreign and local collaborators must be over. The agricultural sector still holds the ace to our economic recovery. It is the low hanging fruit yet to be tapped.
Nigeria can still maintain its leadership in oil palm production, cocoa, groundnut. It can do well in cassava production, coconut farming, cashew and other crops. We can still develop our animal husbandry, fish farming and others. Agro-business can create more jobs, earn enough foreign exchange and ensure food security. Agriculture remains the surest and quickest way to revamp the ailing economy. It is also sustainable.
Sports is one sector which we are yet to maximize its earning power. Just like agriculture, sports can create jobs and also be a huge foreign exchange earner. We hope the new sports minister can turn it into a profitable business. The expectation are so high on all the ministers and there will be no room for excuses. Let there be realistic timelines for achieving the set goals.
