The Arewa Consultative Forum, Afenifere, labour
leaders and some eminent Nigerians have advised President Goodluck
Jonathan to appoint Nigerians with track records as members of his new
cabinet.
They said in separate interviews with our correspondents that merits and not political considerations and sentiments should be the primary consideration for appointing those that would serve as the President’s foot soldiers.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, told one of our correspondents in Kaduna, that the President needed to appoint those who could assist him to address the problem of insecurity and ensure socio-economic development of the country.
Sani said, “This is not whether to retain the current cabinet members or not, but to have a government whose members know that even though governance is about who gets what; why; how, where and when, cabinet members must have realistic appreciation of essential tasks of governance as an art of balancing competing demands by the constituents of Nigeria.
“To that end, government functionaries must be people with convictions; public intelligence and patriotic courage to tell Mr. President not just what he wants to hear, but also what he needs to hear for the collective good.”
Urging the government to address problems of insecurity, including armed robberies, kidnappings, ethno-religious conflicts, politic al violence and bomb blasts, he stated, “These elements of insecurity are capable of stifling the national socio-economic development.”
The secretary-general of Afenifere, Dr. Femi Okurounmu, noted that in the presidential system of government, the President takes responsibility for the actions of his cabinet members.
He, therefore, advised that, “Mr. President should not take anybody foisted on him. He should not appoint people, whose competence he cannot rely upon.”
Okurounmu stated that Jonathan should appoint committed, sincere, competent, hard working Nigerians who could assist him to achieve his goals.
“Sentiments and political considerations should not be major factors in considering those that will make up the new cabinet.” he added.
Also, the President General of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, advised the President to appoint those ready to serve the people.
He said, “A minister is more of a managerial person while the permanent secretary is a technocrat. The President should not restrict his selection to members of his political party. He must go for those who have the competence and are ready to serve. He must dig into their past, he must carry out his research. This is because they will be his foot soldiers.
The Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, disclosed that the congress had written a letter to the President advising him on the composition of his new cabinet.
He stated, “Those who should serve in the cabinet are those that are commitment to the welfare of the people especially in terms of mass creation of jobs and mass education. While it is the prerogative of the President to determine the modality for the appointment of those to serve in his cabinet, the appointments should be done in such a way to benefit Nigerians and not in the interest of a particular political party.”
Also, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Itsa Sagay,advised Jonathan not to appoint people into the new cabinet based on party basis or affiliations.
Sagay, an eminent constitutional lawyer, said Jonathan would do well to have people who have established themselves in their fields.
A former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, advised the President to appoint people of integrity into his cabinet.
He stated, “Anyone who has anything to do with corruption, either being tried or has his name mentioned anywhere that has to do with corruption, should not near the cabinet.
“He should look beyond partisan politics in picking his ministers. He should not pick people just because they contributed money to his campaign or because they are members of his party.”
By Niyi Odebode, Olusola Fabiyi, Fidelis Soriwei, Olamilekan Lartey and Segun Olatunji
Courtesy Of: Punch
They said in separate interviews with our correspondents that merits and not political considerations and sentiments should be the primary consideration for appointing those that would serve as the President’s foot soldiers.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, told one of our correspondents in Kaduna, that the President needed to appoint those who could assist him to address the problem of insecurity and ensure socio-economic development of the country.
Sani said, “This is not whether to retain the current cabinet members or not, but to have a government whose members know that even though governance is about who gets what; why; how, where and when, cabinet members must have realistic appreciation of essential tasks of governance as an art of balancing competing demands by the constituents of Nigeria.
“To that end, government functionaries must be people with convictions; public intelligence and patriotic courage to tell Mr. President not just what he wants to hear, but also what he needs to hear for the collective good.”
Urging the government to address problems of insecurity, including armed robberies, kidnappings, ethno-religious conflicts, politic al violence and bomb blasts, he stated, “These elements of insecurity are capable of stifling the national socio-economic development.”
The secretary-general of Afenifere, Dr. Femi Okurounmu, noted that in the presidential system of government, the President takes responsibility for the actions of his cabinet members.
He, therefore, advised that, “Mr. President should not take anybody foisted on him. He should not appoint people, whose competence he cannot rely upon.”
Okurounmu stated that Jonathan should appoint committed, sincere, competent, hard working Nigerians who could assist him to achieve his goals.
“Sentiments and political considerations should not be major factors in considering those that will make up the new cabinet.” he added.
Also, the President General of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, advised the President to appoint those ready to serve the people.
He said, “A minister is more of a managerial person while the permanent secretary is a technocrat. The President should not restrict his selection to members of his political party. He must go for those who have the competence and are ready to serve. He must dig into their past, he must carry out his research. This is because they will be his foot soldiers.
The Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, disclosed that the congress had written a letter to the President advising him on the composition of his new cabinet.
He stated, “Those who should serve in the cabinet are those that are commitment to the welfare of the people especially in terms of mass creation of jobs and mass education. While it is the prerogative of the President to determine the modality for the appointment of those to serve in his cabinet, the appointments should be done in such a way to benefit Nigerians and not in the interest of a particular political party.”
Also, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Itsa Sagay,advised Jonathan not to appoint people into the new cabinet based on party basis or affiliations.
Sagay, an eminent constitutional lawyer, said Jonathan would do well to have people who have established themselves in their fields.
A former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, advised the President to appoint people of integrity into his cabinet.
He stated, “Anyone who has anything to do with corruption, either being tried or has his name mentioned anywhere that has to do with corruption, should not near the cabinet.
“He should look beyond partisan politics in picking his ministers. He should not pick people just because they contributed money to his campaign or because they are members of his party.”
By Niyi Odebode, Olusola Fabiyi, Fidelis Soriwei, Olamilekan Lartey and Segun Olatunji
Courtesy Of: Punch
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