Josephine Lohor
27 July 2007
Abuja — President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday inaugurated the 39 Ministers cleared by the Senate with a stern warning: his administration would not take kindly to abuse of office and stealing of public funds by ministers and other public officers.
The president who will take charge of the Ministry of Energy like his predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo, however has three Ministers of State in that ministry: Mrs. Fatima Balaraba Ibrahim (Power); Henry Odein Ajumogobia (Petroleum) and Odusina Olatunde Emmanuel (Gas).
While giving kudos to the Obasanjo administration for laying the "foundations for our nation's regeneration", he challenged the new ministers "to provide leadership with exemplary conduct, upholding and living up to your oaths of office. As an administration, we have absolute zero tolerance for corruption in all its ramifications. We must never abuse public trust either through misappropriation, misapplication or outright stealing of public funds. Anyone who does so will have the full weight of the law to reckon with".
The President, however, told them that "Nigerians legitimately expect a lot from us and we have an abiding obligation to live up to their expectations of us in the discharge of our duties," adding that "for all of us, a bright and prosperous future beckons. We must embrace the challenge with courage, grab the opportunity with vision, and enter into tomorrow with abiding faith, hope, and confidence. I trust that all of us will do our best".
He warned that the Ministers must on no account see the appointment as opportunity "for self-aggrandisement or the pursuit of narrow interests. Our Fatherland offers us the opportunity to provide selfless service today - an opportunity which we must maximize and cherish. We may not have the same opportunity tomorrow to leave a legacy for posterity to remember us by."
"It is therefore imperative that we all conduct ourselves with the highest degree of integrity and in total and absolute compliance with the rule of law. This Administration will not tolerate any deviation from, or disrespect for law and order, established rules, regulations and procedures," he said.
President Yar'Adua assured the ministers that "as long as you work honestly and diligently, you will have the benefit of my full confidence, trust and support. I will encourage the exercise of initiative, effective decision-making and maximal self-application. You have been chosen based on your track records of professional excellence, loyalty, dedication, courage and faith in Nigeria. Mine is to provide you the enabling environment for you to perform at your utmost".
He charged the ministers to remember that "we have been given this opportunity not because we are better than other Nigerians but because Provi-dence has seen fit to thrust the responsibility of guiding our nation's ship of state on us today. We are faced with the stark choice of using this once-in-a-lifetime chance to do good: let us, as a team, resolve to do our utmost for the good of Nigeria. We must pray for God's guidance to enable us function as Servant-Leaders and not Ruling-elites."
The President also advised that "let no one be in doubt: the comprehensive reform process is on course and we shall stay the course until we reach the ultimate goal of a strong, secure, peaceful, progressive and prosperous nation. Our seven-point agenda, which you will all be expected to drive faithfully, is a logical practical extension of the reform process. I am confident that success is assured if we all commit to work for our nation's growth and development honestly, sincerely, diligently, and with the absolute fear of God."
Four members of the Obasanjo team were retained. Former Minister of State Health, Halima Tayo Alao is now Minister of Environment and Housing); former Minster of Education, Abba Sayyadi Ruma now takes charge of Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources; former Minister of Commerce and Industries, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, is now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the former Minister of Labour, Dr. Hassan Muhammad Lawal, retains the portfolio.
Meanwhile, the Senate has said that the screening of two new ministerial nominees-Alhassan Bako (Taraba) and Felix Hassan Hyat (Kaduna) forwarded to the Senate by President Yar'Adua would have to be put on hold until it resumes from its six-week recess on September 4.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Ayogu Eze, confirmed this yesterday in Abuja. He said that the Presidency was, as at yesterday, yet to forward to the Senate complete documentation on the nominees.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2007 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
