Ministers upon taking the oath of office on Monday pledged to be responsible and accountable for their ministries and work in actualising the goals of Tinubu administration.
IdanNews reported that these ministers during a brief reception at their various ministries have been unveiling agendas for their ministries except the Ministry of Interior, where journalists shut out as they claimed the conference room was too small to accommodate them.
Some of the Minister ledges and plan for their ministries
Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong, during his assumption of office with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment on Monday in Abuja, pledged that the federal government will express its willingness to address the new National Minimum Wage and other palliatives arising from the removal of fuel subsidies.
Lalong said the government through the ministry shall work closely with the NLC, TUC and their affiliates to ensure all pending industrial disputes are settled amicably as this will be imperative to boost the relationship with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
According to him, “But also addressing with strong determination the new minimum wage and other palliatives arising from the removal of fuel subsidies.
“I use this opportunity to specially convey the appreciation of President Bola Tinubu to the organised labour and Nigerian workers in general for exercising tremendous understanding and patience with the current situation.
“The government does not take this for granted and Mr President has directed that we move on with negotiations to arrive at amicable resolutions that will make our workers overcome the current pains,” he said.
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, when assumed office on Monday assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will empower them through ‘stable and accessible’ power.
The minister stressed that every home, industry, school, and business will benefit from the government’s efforts.
Adelabu said the ministry will leverage the Nigerian Electricity Act of 2023 to boost the power supply in the country.
Recall that the News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Nigerian Electricity Act of 2023 provides a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the operation of a fully privatised, cost and service-reflective tariff, contract.
The Act also provides a rule-based competitive electricity market in Nigeria and repeals the following Acts: Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.
Adekabu affirms that the ministry will diligently provide optimal solutions for Nigeria’s power needs across the nation.
He said that the task was not merely a requirement, but an expectation from both the President and the Nigerian populace who had endured years of power challenge
“This responsibility weighs heavily upon us, and it is with conviction, divine guidance, and the support of President Tinubu, the National Assembly, government agencies and Nigerians that I pledge my commitment to achieve success in the power sector.
“Key to success will be an unwavering dedication to efficiency and collaboration,” he said
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, declared he would step on his toes to weed out insecurity and pull down buildings located in green areas.
The former River State governor rolled out a 10-point agenda, focusing on security; sanitation; preservation of the Abuja master plan; infrastructure development; restoration of green areas; removal of shanties etc.
“I don’t care how you feel and where you come from. My task is to ensure that Abuja comes to where it should be. I am here to turn Abuja around. That is the work I have been sent here to do and I am going to do just that,” he affirmed.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, promises not to leave files unattended on his table as all matters would be resolved instantly, he urges the staff of the ministry to brace up to achieve the goals of the Tinubu administration.
Umahi, during a brief reception at the ministry, stresses that he was neither Minister of Ebonyi nor the South East but of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In his words “We will not allow files to stay more than two hours on our table because we are field workers,” Umahi outlined a programme of activities that would have him inspect the Abuja-Lokoja road and meet contractors soon, added he would be touring road projects in the six geopolitical zones to get firsthand information.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, promised his “watchword is transparency”, Aldo said he would build on the aviation roadmap developed by the immediate past administration.
Keyamo said he had read the roadmap developed in 2016, and his “intention is not to disrupt things that have been done so well.” he added, “If there are things that have not been done so well, we will look at them thoroughly.”
The minister said: “At every point, the Nigerian people must understand what we are doing as we carry everyone along so that we don’t have some of the complaints we had in the past. We are serving the people. Everything I do has always been to satisfy Nigerians.” added that he would “move from very complex issues to simple issues that every Nigerian faces.”
According to him, while citizens may not know the work “we are doing behind, in terms of safety”, people appreciate what they see every day “like the cleanliness of the environment and how early they get their flights.”
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, pledged policies that would transform the industry, he urged heads of agencies under the ministry to hit the ground running, saying Nigeria has a great opportunity to compete effectively with nations of the world in the digital economy.
He said: “We are in a better position to connect our people to technologies that will help them access government services in a dignified manner. No sector can be efficient without technical advancement. We are in a strong position to show the rest of the government what productivity can be. We need to connect our people to boundless opportunities that exist globally because borders are melting.”
He added: “Our goal is not to come up with policies that will put people in pain before they can access government services. If we do not collaborate with countries all over the world, we are going to be limited by what is available at the minute in terms of knowledge.”
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, expressed his determination to boost the economy through initiatives.
The former Osun State governor Speaking while resuming office in Abuja noted that the newly created ministry will be rooted in the responsible management and utilization of marine resources to benefit Nigeria’s economy.
The minister emphasized the role water resources play in the country and acknowledged their potential for economic growth.
He also stressed the importance of collaboration, teamwork, and dedication to service, even as he called for a unified effort in propelling the growth of the sector.
He said: “We must come up with practicable ways of ensuring our inland rivers, lakes, and waterways are well utilized, both in terms of cargo shipment and passenger
transportation. And this can be done by embarking on a holistic dredging campaign for most of our strategically important inland waterways, to make them navigable for the passage of goods and people.
“We equally have to promote better inter-agency cooperation and coordination between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority.”
