Nigerian Acting President Yemi
Osinbajo on Wednesday in Abuja swore-in two new ministers, Stephen
Ocheni from Kogi state and Suleiman Hassan from Gombe state as members
of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Speaking
at the event, Osinbajo challenged the new ministers to actively
participate in the task of turning around the nation’s economy and
making life better for all Nigerians.
He stated that the Federal
Executive Council was committed to implementing its far-reaching reform
programmes as contained in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and
other such documents.
“We have focused our intention on key areas
of that economic reform programme and those key areas have become
really what we believed need to be done to make a difference in the
Nigerian economy and in the life and livelihoods of Nigerians
“So,
we expect that our new ministers will also join in this Herculean task
of turning around the Nigerian economy and making life better for the
citizens of this country.
“You know aside from
economy we have two major areas which of course as you know were
highlighted by the president during the course of the campaign and after
and have become the centrepieces of our administration’s programmes.
“Security
and anti-corruption being the other two aside from the economy and we
expect of course members of the Executive Council to focus on these key
areas as well,’’ he said.
The acting president noted that the
administration had recorded appreciable progress in the area of security
in spite of minor security challenges in some parts of the country.
He, however, assured that the security challenges were being tackled “on a day-by-day basis’’.
Osinbajo also enjoined the new ministers to join the anti-corruption crusade.
“And
also our conducts should be exemplary so that we are able to show by
practice not just by words that we are determined to ensure that this
country is where there is good governance and where there is honesty and
integrity in service to the people.’’
It would be recalled that Ocheni and Hassan were confirmed by the Senate in May.
Ocheni
replaces the late Minister of State for Labour, Mr James Ocholi, who
died in a ghastly auto-crash along Kaduna-Abuja highway in 2016, while
Hassan takes the place of Amina Mohammed.
Mohammed resigned as Minister of Environment to take up the job of Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
from guardian