Hope rises as Senate gets ministers’ list tomorrow

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Legislature, Ministries, Senate Monday, June 27th, 2011

THE long wait for the ministers’ list may end tomorrow as President Goodluck Jonathan is set to present to the Senate. With that, an end would have come to the vacillation by the President over his choice of who should be ministers and Nigerians would heave a sigh of a relief that real governance can, at least begin.

The screening of the ministers is one of the major national issues, the Upper House, which reconvenes tomorrow, will address.

Ahead of the presentation, anxiety heightened in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), politicians and other Nigerians, whose names have featured both in the media and in public discourse as making the ministerial list.

The President had forwarded the list to the State Security Services (SSS), which has been screening the nominees, an exercise that ought to have ended last week.

Sources in the National Assembly told The Guardian that line of communication had been opened between the Presidency and the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly on the matter and the latter is expected to take delivery of the list tomorrow.

It was also learnt that to ensure that the screening of the cabinet members was not delayed because the Presidency is “anxiously waiting for the ritual to be concluded expeditiously,” the presiding officers of “the Senate have been briefed on the colour of the cabinet and there is already an extraction of a pledge by the leadership of the Upper House to ensure a smooth process.”

Senator Bassey Otu from Akwa Ibom State told The Guardian at the weekend that the chamber was anxious to get government to function properly and so would do “all that is necessary to fast track governance in the country. ‘

“As you can see, on our part, we have taken an oath to ensure that the people of Nigeria benefit maximally from the government in terms of good life and the budget is aimed at making life meaningful for the people in terms of infrastructure and wages for the workers. So, I can assure Nigerians that we will do our best to see that we have the kind of people that will assist the President to deliver on his transformation agenda, he said.

There are, however, worries that exactly one month and a day after a remarkable presidential inauguration, only a few appointments have been made by Jonathan. They are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Ayim Pius Ayim, appointed a day after inauguration, the National Security Advisers (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, who was also appointed last Wednesday.

The SGF’s office had earlier been zoned away from the North while the Accountant-General’s became vacant about five months ago when the former holder of the office, Ibrahim Dankwabo resigned to contest the governorship election of Gombe State, which he won.

One of the most critical offices in the Presidency is the Chief of Staff to the President. But at press time too, there was still no word on the holder of the office.

It was reported then that Jonathan had asked the Permanent Secretary of the Water Resources Ministry Ambassador Godknows Bolodei Igali to act as his Chief of Staff.

But the former occupant of the office, Mike Oghiadomhe, has not been asked to stay away from it. So, the confusion inside Aso Rock continues as he (Oghiadomhe) like Mr. Ima Niboro has not been asked to stay away from office. Both Niboro and Oghiadomhe have access to their old offices, as their security cards have not been revoked.

Interestingly, both officers have been travelling with the President.

The Guardian learnt that inside and outside the State House, there have been bruising fights among those jostling for the ministerial controls of some key ministries.

Some of the former ministers, who are bent on returning to the cabinet, have also resorted to deceiving the media with reports of alleged “security screening” of ministerial nominees.

The situation is the same in the states as many of them are yet to constitute their cabinet. For instance, in Ebonyi State, Governor Martin Elechi is yet to announce any appointments into the key offices of SSG, Chief of Staff and Chief Press Secretary.

Though the House of Assembly is expected back from its short recess today, sources disclosed that concerns for zoning constitute the major reason holding back the governor from announcing his cabinet.

In the desperate effort to ensure that their men are appointed into the Delta State Executive Council, lobbyists have practically taken over the Government House, Asaba and the annex at Warri.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was sworn in for a second term of office last May 29 is yet to appoint members of his cabinet.

Save for the choice of Mr. Ovouzourie Macaulay as the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Festus Okubor as Chief of Staff and a handful of other appointments, Uduaghan is yet to nominate members of the executive council.

A Government House source said the governor was under intense pressure from top political associates to immediately announce the names of the members of his cabinet.

However, the South East and South-South Professionals (SEESSP) have urged Jonathan to ensure that the new cabinet reflects his pledge to transform the economy and governance.

Decrying the high cost of governance, the professionals said while it is important that government at all levels should provide service for the people, it would be counterproductive if it was done in a manner that denies them the real service.

They also called on the President to concentrate on a few items in his transformation agenda.

While suggesting to the President to reduce drastically the cost of governance, satisfy the national need for energy and work for the amendment of the nation’s constitution to ensure equity, efficiency, effectiveness and growth, the group noted that “addressing these national questions and challenges would set the tone of the administration and set the nation on the path of growth ahead of the 100 anniversary of the nation in 2014.”

At a press conference yesterday in Lagos, the President of the South East, South-South Professionals (SEESSP), Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, said “we expect President Jonathan to maintain a cabinet of 36 ministers, picking one from each state as provided in the constitution, and we urge him not to exceed that number. In the midst of anxiety over the high cost of governance, Nigerians expect him to run a lean and efficient cabinet composed of professionals with good track records and high integrity.”

Meanwhile, ahead of tomorrow’s resumption of plenary session of the 7th Senate, Senate President David Mark has listed the Upper House agenda as a strong collaboration with the executive arm of government in order to transform Nigeria.

“We need to be transformational in depth and content of our work, legislative representation and oversight functions. Our legislative agenda is enormous” Mark told his colleagues.

Mark in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretay, Paul Mummeh, in Abuja, advocated a radical budgeting system that would ensure effective implementation of Appropriation Act and end the perennial excuses of inability to implement budget.

According to Mark “our budget system needs a radical change. There is a need for collaboration between the executive arm of government and the National Assembly to ensure that Nigerians get a budget that can be effectively implemented.”

-Guardianwp_posts