President Goodluck
Jonathan on Wednesday inaugurated the eight new ministers recently confirmed by
the Senate before the
commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council
meeting.
The President
thereafter assigned portfolios to them as follows: Senator Patricia Akwashiki
(Information); Prof. Nicholas Ada (State, Foreign Affairs I); Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro (State, Foreign Affairs II); Col. Augustine Akobundu (retd.) (State,
Defence); Mr. Fidelis Nwankwo (State, Health); Mrs. Hauwa Bappa (State, Niger
Delta Affairs); Mr. Kenneth Kobani (State, Industry, Trade and Investment); and
Senator Joel Ikenya (Labour and Productivity).
The President also
named the Minister of State, Health, Khaliru Alhassan, as the Minister of
Health.
Alhassan has been
acting as Supervising Minister of Health since Prof. Onyebuchi Ckukwu resigned
in 2014.
Also inaugurated
on Wednesday were a commissioner for the Federal Civil Service Commission,
representing Plateau, Benue and Nassarawa States, Dr. Jonah Madugu; and a
commissioner for National Population Commission, Mrs. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyi,
from Lagos State.
Jonathan urged the
new ministers to be ready to work hard to justify their appointment which is
coming during his administration’s “injury time.”
He said since the
eyes of all Nigerians would be on them, they must be ready to put up
outstanding performances within the short time available.
Jonathan
said, “For the ministers, this is an injury time. It is like bringing a
player in when you have just five minutes to go in a football match.
“So everyone wants
to know what that player will do, the magic the player will perform within that
short period. The player himself will be struggling to at least kick the ball
before the end of the game.
“So you are coming
in at a quite challenging period and I believe that a number of people will not
envy you because government is coming to a close. But sometimes, it is even
good to come at this time because you are now well exposed to Nigerians.
“Everybody will be
watching your dancing steps and we believe you will dance well.”
While describing
the civil service as the engine room of government, Jonathan admitted that
the greatest problem of the sector is indiscipline.
He urged the new
commissioners to join others to modernise the service.
He also described
census as critical to national planning, urging Salu-Hudeyin to contribute her
quota to the success of the NPC.Source:Punch Newspaper.
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