QUICK WINS FOR THE NEW MINISTERS

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  1.   After nearly six months of being sworn in as President, Muhammadu Buhari in turn swore in 36 ministers last week. Thus ending his reign as a kind of sole administrator and setting a record as the President that took the longest time to swear in his ministers in the history of our 55year old Nation and perhaps competing for the top position globally. From all indications, it was clear that the President took all this time because he did not seem to fully appreciate the value these ministers will bring into his governance, or as was speculated, he was searching for " human Angels" to populate his cabinet. When he released a partial list at the last minute of the end of September in order not to fail his own chosen time limit, and then the second list early in October, Nigerians did not see any 'Angel'on the list. Except for a few exceptions, all the ministerial nominees were regular human beings, some previously recycled- past governors, past ministers, past senators ,past party chairmen & party officials and past loyalists.

   Well last week, the wait ended and our President could not delay any further, especially as the Senate, against initial expectations did not give any such opportunity for further delay. Even after the speedy confirmation by the Senate, Nigerians had another week to speculate the portfolios of the new ministers. When PMB was personally reading out the portfolios of the ministers, like a headmaster who was assigning classes to his teachers, he said he was putting the round pegs into round holes. The jury is still out as to how well he has achieved the fit. There is preponderance of opinion that suggests that a few pegs are square. But it is now futile to engage in this argument, because as it is said, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. We need to watch these ministers( square or round pegs) to perform in the next couple of months to determine the veracity of their fit into the portfolios they have been assigned .
  But there is no gain saying that Nigerians and the World are expecting much from these ministers and indeed from the Federal  Executive Council, now properly constituted. There is indeed so much to  be done. For example, the completion of the preparation of Budget 2016 will be a major and urgent assignment. But in the midst of all these, they will need to achieve quick wins to help restore the flagging morale of Nigerians who have waited for these 'long'Six months to see the promised change in their lives.
 President & Minister of Petroleum
As President, he will need to change the rhetoric and begin to raise hopes. He may not know it, the efforts he has made to dampen the expectations of Nigerians from him, including his speed of taking actions and the demonizing of the past regime, have tended to cast a gloom on the Nation. With the 'Nigeria is broke and all money stolen by the previous administration campaign', some feeling of hopelessness and despondency seems to have set in.  This is the time to begin to speak in positive tones to reignite morale. This will not cost us any money and will not tantamount to not telling the truth. A great leadership challenge is to keep the morale of followers high, despite the challenges.
 As Petroleum Minister, his first task should be to immediately stop this 'on and off' cycle of Petroleum products availability. It is costing this Nation a lot and dampens the morale of Citizens to be queuing up for days and nights to buy Refined Petroleum products. It is dehumanizing. And Nigerians were hoping that PMB would end this embarrassment .There are many ways to solve this perennial problem. But my advice is that the easiest and fastest way is to fully deregulate the downstream Petroleum Sector. Last week we bought one litre of PMS at 250 Naira from hawkers opposite the Refinery in PH, and that was after, my driver spent a whole day at the filling station on Olu Obasanjo Rd in PH without luck.When will this pain end?  Benefits that will accrue from this decision are many and will include attraction of new investments and job creation. That is in addition to full and regular product supply and the savings of subsidy removal.
  MINISTER OF FINANCE
 The first assignment of the Minister is to address the global investment community and assure them that Nigeria is open for business and that we plan to remain in the global Economic system. Right now the International Investment community is a bit confused about Nigeria's economic direction. With the apparent uncertainty in our Exchange rate management practices and issues related to other fiscal policies which have been exacerbated by the apparent highhandedness of our Regulatory agencies- FRCN, NCC and NAFDAC, the investment community is confused and I think the critical and urgent assignment of our new Minister is to calm the international investment community and that will have impact on our macroeconomic stability, investor confidence and credit rating.
 MINISTER OF INDUSTRY, TRADE & INVESTMENT
 My recommendation is for the Minister to have intense engagement with the Private Sector organizations to try and agree what needs to be done to reignite activities. Issues related to foreign exchange restrictions, the Common External tariff( CET) and how to moderate the apparent feeling of regulatory over kill must receive quick and urgent action of our Minister. He has to work with the Minister of Finance on these fundamental issues, to help release bottled investment energies.Vast improvement of the operating environment is called for.
  MINISTER OF POWER, WORKS & HOUSING 
 We are now in the dry season and the holiday season is close by. Immediate and urgent action is required to re mobilize the contractors to site. Work must resume on or intensify on the Lokoja-Abaji- Abuja Highway, the Lagos -Ibadan Express, the Ore -Shagamu, Highway, the Kano - Damaturu - Maiduguri and the Onitsha-Enugu- Portharcourt highways. So much progress had been made on these highways before the change of government, but momentum has been lost in the last six months, complicated by the heavy rains. Additionally, FERMA should be directed to make all federal roads motorable this Christmas season. Nigerians need to feel that they have a working government.
MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION 
The frenzied effort to get the railways back to work by the Outgone regime should be completed right away. The last time I checked, things were cold. The new standard gauge Abuja- Kaduna Rail line should be  commissioned this year so that Nigerians can take advantage of the huge investment and effort made by the Government on this huge project. The Rehabilitation of the Portharcourt - Kafanchan - Bauchi-Gombe- Maiduguri should be speedily completed. The suspended works on our airports which have become eyesore should  be resumed immediately. These should help stimulate economic activities.
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE 
  We do not change a winning team. So much effort had been made to change the face of Agriculture in Nigeria. My advice is that the new Minister should quickly ramp up the programs and projects that are ongoing to make Agriculture big business. We must not change course at this time. More effort must be made to improve access to inputs and finance.
 MINISTERS OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH
The critical issue right now is to ensure that our teachers, lecturers  and health care personnel are well treated, so that they do not continue to disrupt services. This must be a primary under staking of these ministers because over the years we have had cyclical strikes and disruption of services in these sectors. So let them take preemptive actions to ensure that the governments are keeping to all the agreements so that we do not give any excuses for another round of strikes by ASUU, NASU, NMA & NARD. If they can achieve this, then that would be a major change and create the enablement for implementing new policies to improve quality of service.
MINISTER OF INFORMATION 
  This minister who did a good job as the spokesperson of the APC, must quickly shed his partisan toga and remember that he is now the minister of all Nigerians. He must help the President to change the rhetoric and begin a healing and reconciliation of all Nigerians. I know it may not be easy but he must try. The elections are Long over and we must change the communication mode and begin to build consensus and speak as one a Nation. Not a Nation divided between APC and PDP!
  OTHER MINISTERS 
 Because of Space, it may not be feasible to offer advisory to all the Ministers in this write up. One, some of the Ministers, like those of Science & Technology and Solid Minerals may not have any quick wins because much of their work will require time to mature, while others like Justice, Foreign Affairs and Labour provide sometimes invisible services which may not be readily seen or appreciated. They will require a follow up advisory. But what is critical and urgent is that all Nigerians must be given a sense of a government that has taken responsibility to better their lives. The waiting has been long and the buck passing must end now that we have ministers on seat.
 Sam Ohuabunwa OFR 

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