Despite the absence of ministers since President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in for second term, a serving senator, Jibrin Barau has declared that there is no vacuum in the present administration.
Barau, the senator representing Kano North in the National Assembly, spoke to newsmen at the National Assembly Complex after plenary, following his Point of Order on the need to avert the impending strike by the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASSU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
At plenary, the Senate had resolved to meet with the leadership of the two unions to intervene to avert a looming strike and address the concerns raised by the two unions.
Barau who was Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND in the Ninth Senate, disclosed that Federal Ministries of Education as well Labour and Productivity are expected to play major roles in the negotiation.
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Answering a question by BusinessDay on the success of the parley without ministers, he said said there is no cause for alarm, adding that Permanent Secretaries are already working as ‘acting ministers’.
“You have acting ministers. There is an Acting Minister of Labour who is Permanent Secretary and an Acting Minister of Education who is also a Permanent Secretary of Education. So, there is no vacuum there. No vacuum like people acting for the ministers. So, I am sure your fears are allayed by this. There is no problem,” he said.
Nigerians have expressed concern over the delay in submitting ministerial list, about seven weeks after President Buhari was sworn in for a second term and five months after winning the 2019 presidential election.
In a meeting with members of the National Assembly last week, Buhari had disclosed that he was under immense pressure to name his ministers.
In 2015, it took President Buhari six months to appoint members of his cabinet.
Economic experts say the development was responsible for Nigeria slipping into recession in 2016.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
