Our future in your hands, Nigerians tell ministers

After clear six months and two weeks of waiting, murmuring, finger-pointing and name-calling, President Muhammadu Buhari last Wednesday appeared to have removed the “crown of thorns”, as it were, from his head and put same on the new ministers who are expected by the over-traumatised citizens to perform a magic, urgently.

While Nigerians anxiously awaited the constitution of the President Buhari’s cabinet, the economy took a dangerous turn; families groaned in penury as they hardly afford three square meals per day. A good number of companies shed workforce, while many settled for pay cut to stay afloat.

In the last six months, businesses have suffered so much as some of the decisions by both the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the one hand and the Presidency on the other put a serious wedge on business transactions. A good number of importers became stranded and helpless. Foreign investors simply stood akimbo, watching.

Before Wednesday when Buhari eventually allocated portfolios to the 36 individuals, who had recently passed through the mandatory screening at the Senate, citizens had waited with bated breath and had hoped that inauguration of the ministers was all that was needed for the near-dead economy to be jolted to life.

The optimism expressed in many quarters was as if the ministers were going to be messiahs in their own rights.

Today, irrespective of their social status, Nigerians appear to be unanimous in their profuse plea that the new ministers must urgently bring the country back on track.

Analysts had accused the Buhari administration of lacking the right policy direction, which they claimed was responsible for the present comatose state of the economy.

Some Nigerians who spoke with BD SUNDAY said the ministers must immediately “roll up their sleeves of excitement” and get down on the onerous task of retooling the economy in the overall interest of the down-trodden.

Expressing optimism in the ability of President Buhari’s team to deliver the much-touted democray dividends to expectant Nigerians, Aletor Alex Adoghe, director, ALEBS Projects Solutions Limited, said the new ministers must try as much as possible to understand happenings at the grassroots where majority of Nigerians whose purchasing power has been badly affected by the economic crunch live.

He explained that the beautiful architectural design of Abuja, the nation’s capital, which he said does not mirror the extreme poverty in the land, may deceive the ministers in believing that all is well with the country since everything that surrounds them appears very comforting; while ordinary Nigerians are groaning in abject poverty.

“They should not seat in Abuja and think they can feel the pain many Nigerians are going through. They should frequently visit the grassroots to feel the heat. They should not forget in a hurry that many businesses are collapsing and some have relocated and are still relocating to neighbouring West African countries,” Adoghe told BD SUNDAY.

According to him, while it will be noble for the ministers to lay a solid economy foundation (long term) for the country, they must however, hasten (short term) whatever they are doing for urgent palliative measure for Nigerians who are in serious economic pain. He advised them to immediately go for the low hanging fruits.

He said: “They need to hasten whatever they are doing. Many Nigerians have over-suffered as a result of the current unfriendly economy. The ministers should urgently focus on the grassroots; unemployment; social insecurity; failing healthcare system and other related social issues where urgent attention is needed. I hope that the nature of Abuja would not make them to lose track”.

Charles Okafor, veteran Nollywood star, told BD SUNDAY that the first thing to do is for Nigerians to rally round the men and women that President Buhari has considered worthy to be ministers in his government, as according to him, followership plays a major role in what leadership eventually becomes.

“Scepticism will not take us anywhere. Anybody that wants progress must forget his or her ugly past and face the present task of building a glorious future. The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) should not just be issuing statement every now and then because it must always criticise the ruling government. If there is something the government has done well the PDP must be ready to commend the government. In the same vein, the ruling APC must be ready to learn from constructive criticism. If there is something that the Goodlcuk Jonathan administration did which Nigerians are still benefiting from, the current government should also humble itself and commend it,” he said.

Although, Okafor noted that he is not personally expecting miracles from the new ministers, he, however, urges the ministers to appreciate the high expectation of many Nigerians, tasking them on the need to rise to the occasion by giving their best.

“If they give their best, chances are that the Nigerian economy would do well again. Nigerians should continue to pray for the leaders; and also play their civic responsibility, one of which is paying our taxes; then, being good and responsible citizens in our various communities,” he said.

He further explained that the appointments of Audu Ogbe, as minister of agriculture, and Kayode Fayemi, as minister of solid mineral, are signs of good things to come; giving the agricultural pedigree of the former and the academic prowess of the latter. He challenged the Federal Government to be creative in order for it to generate revenue through the huge natural resources available in the bowels of Nigerian soil.

In what looks like an assurance to the Nigerian people, Mai Mala Buni, national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said: “The journey to economic recovery, meaningful democracy, and moral revolution in our great country has started. For the umpteenth time, we are assuring Nigerians of our desire to take them to the Promised Land. The APC government will not fail the nation; Buhari will keep his words and salvage Nigeria for the benefit of all.”

Buni claimed that the assumption of duty by some of the ministers, barely some hours after oath-taking, underscored the determination of the APC administration to offer a qualitative and faster service to the nation. He however, charged them (ministers) to abide by their oath of office, render selfless service, live up to expectations and write their names in gold.

“This is a winning team, none of them must fail. We implore Nigerians, including the increasingly impatient opposition parties, to give the cabinet a breathing space and support it to deliver the dividends of democracy,” he said.