President
Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday inaugurated the eight new ministers recently
confirmed by the Senate before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive
Council meeting.
The President thereafter assigned
portfolios to them as follows: Senator Patricia Akwashiki (Information); Prof.
Nicholas Ada (State, Foreign Affairs I); Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (State,
Foreign Affairs II); Col. Augustine Akobundu (retd.) (State, Defence); Mr.
Fidelis Nwankwo (State, Health); Mrs. Hauwa Bappa (State, Niger Delta Affairs);
Mr. Kenneth Kobani (State, Industry, Trade and Investment); and Senator Joel
Ikenya (Labour and Productivity).
The President also named the Minister
of State, Health, Khaliru Alhassan, as the Minister of Health.
Alhassan has been acting as Supervising
Minister of Health since Prof. Onyebuchi Ckukwu resigned in 2014.
Also inaugurated on Wednesday were a
commissioner for the Federal Civil Service Commission, representing Plateau,
Benue and Nassarawa States, Dr. Jonah Madugu; and a commissioner for National
Population Commission, Mrs. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyi, from Lagos State.
Jonathan urged the new ministers to be
ready to work hard to justify their appointment which is coming during his
administration’s “injury time.”
He said since the eyes of all Nigerians
would be on them, they must be ready to put up outstanding performances within
the short time available.
Jonathan said, “For the ministers,
this is an injury time. It is like bringing a player in when you have just five
minutes to go in a football match.
“So everyone wants to know what that
player will do, the magic the player will perform within that short period. The
player himself will be struggling to at least kick the ball before the end
of the game.
“So you are coming in at a quite
challenging period and I believe that a number of people will not envy you
because government is coming to a close. But sometimes, it is even good to come
at this time because you are now well exposed to Nigerians.
“Everybody will be watching your
dancing steps and we believe you will dance well.”
While describing the civil service
as the engine room of government, Jonathan admitted that the greatest problem
of the sector is indiscipline.
He urged the new commissioners to join
others to modernize the service.
He also described census as critical to
national planning, urging Salu-Hudeyin to contribute her quota to the success
of the NPC.
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