Jonathan defends large cabinet •Says it’s a constitutional matter

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Ministries Thursday, May 19th, 2011

THOSE who hope for a reduction in the number of federal ministers may have to wait a while, because President Goodluck Jonathan

has indicated that such a move is beyond his power since it is a constitutional issue.

The president said in a valedictory session with members of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC), led by General Theophilus Danjuma at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, that the federal cabinet in the country was large due to the constitutional provision which stipulates that each state of the country must produce a minister.

He said much as he would have liked to have a leaner and more efficient government, it was virtually impossible at this time, because of extant constitutional provisions.

The chairman of the council had earlier requested the president to consider reducing the number of persons in his cabinet, as he began the process of appointing new ministers, but according to Jonathan, “your suggestion for a smaller cabinet is excellent and I agree with you, but this cannot be achieved without constitutional amendment.”

The president, however, said suggestions and advice which PAC offered to the government played a key role in stabilising the administration and that its final report would form part of the policy direction of the incoming administration.

Jonathan thanked them for accepting to serve the nation in spite of their individual schedules, and informed them that the Federal Government would continue to tap from their wealth of experience in the years ahead.

Speaking earlier, General Danjuma expressed gratitude for the privilege to have been selected to give advice to the new administration of President Jonathan, adding that all members had contributed immensely to the council’s work.

He advised the president to apply the same diligence he applied in selecting the PAC to the appointment of his new cabinet from among the abundant qualified Nigerians willing to serve the country.

Meanwhile, the president has that the improvement of the education sector will be central to his administration’s agenda for national transformation.

Therefore, he said the recommendations of the Presidential Task Team on Education would be diligently implemented to significantly raise the standard of education in the country.

Jonathan, who was receiving the Task Team’s report and recommendations at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, expressed the conviction that their efficient implementation would lead to the speedy resolution of many of the problems currently bedevilling Nigeria’s educational sector.

According to him, “Education is core to whatever we want to do as a nation. Nigeria cannot make much progress towards the attainment of its Vision 20-2020, unless we strengthen our educational system. We will, therefore, do our best in the next four years to reposition our educational sector in a way that the entire nation will appreciate.”

He assured the Task Team members that their dedicated service and knowledgeable report would not be in vain, saying that the recommendations would be an invaluable input to his administration’s agenda for revitalising Nigeria’s educational sector.

The president thanked the leader, Professor Pai Obanya and members of the team for their good work, saying that his administration would continue to welcome their support and advice, in its efforts to ensure that quality education became available in all parts of Nigeria once again.

The report to President Jonathan was in two volumes, entitled “Necessary First Steps In Moving Education Forward in Nigeria.” It included recommendations for reforming the 6-3-3-4 system and making it more result-oriented.

The team also recommended accelerated action on the National Teacher Education Policy and the speedy implementation of the new Teachers Salary Scale.

The Presidential Task Team on Education was inaugurated by President Jonathan in January and had eight terms of reference, including reviewing the 6-3-3-4 educational system, institutional arrangements for Nigeria’s educational sector, funding arrangements, laws governing the educational sector, educational ethics and the role of teachers.

-Tribunewp_posts