I want to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on your victory as the 16th president of the most populous black nation on earth. Nigerians have high hope on you to settle the political differences among some citizens.
Nigerians are hoping your government will provide better life and prosperity for their future.
Some former ministers in the previous government of President Muhammadu Buhari, have expressed their opinion during their valedictory session that it was an aberration to appoint a minister of state.
One of the ministers further stated that “it would be difficult to assess the individual performances of the ministers of state since their discretion was shackled under that of the main ministers as any original ideas developed by the minister of state was subject to clearance by another colleague in the cabinet before they could sail through for consideration by the council.”
The assertion by the ministers at the valedictory session drew my attention to write this piece to President Tinubu so that he can avoid future constitutional aberration as the minister of state is considered a junior minister.
Therefore, Mr President should take note and establish either 36 federal ministries with a substantive minister from each state or 42 ministries to cover additional ministers, from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country so as to avoid future rancour and also to have loyal and happy members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), without grumbling.
In light of the above, Mr President can appoint more than one minister to a ministry and allocate different responsibilities to them without necessarily naming anyone a minister of state or a junior minister.
For instance, Mr Persistent can appoint a Minister of Special Education (Nomadic, Mass Literacy and Non-Formal Education), Minister of Education (Basic and Secondary Education) and Minister of Higher Education (Tertiary Institutions).
Mr President should recall that Nigeria is a heterogeneous society battling crises of insecurity, kidnapping and poverty, among others. So it is expected that you should put in your best by appointing competent individuals to oversee the affairs of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for prudence and accountability toward the successful delivery of your campaign promises.
Mr President needs to hit the ground running with immediate effect.
Thus, it is strongly hoped that you will do what is humanly possible and put in your best from where the previous administration stopped as government activities are dynamic and continuous.
Professor Nasiru Medugu Idris, Director, Ibrahim Usman Jibril Institute for the Built Environment, Nasarawa State University Keffi
