Waiting for Yar’Adua’s new ministers

By Iyke Okonkwor

All is now set for the much awaited cabinet reshuffle contemplated by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua. The news may have caused panic and anxiety in many quarters while raising hopes in others.

Feelers from media reports speculate that up to 20 ministers may bid goodbye to the Federal Executive Council. The reasons adduced by some sources in government circle for the imminent purge are largely due to non-performance by some of the ministers, complete disregard for the seven-point agenda of the administration and the need to reinvigorate the seemingly lethargy in the system.

To this end, Nigerians are worried and concerned that after 16 months of this government, there is no clear direction. They are asking questions whether the president wants to disband his visionless team and raise a new one consisting of visionaries who can actualise the vision 2020. But can there really be changes considering the political interest that comes to play in such exercise? Who stays and who gets the boot?

The questions are many but one fact remains crystal clear: This is an opportunity to examine the impact of the present team in the affairs of our troubled land. Without mincing words, the present team lacks the agility of an Olympian, the carriage of a beauty queen or the colour of a man about town. In other words, the cabinet as presently constituted, is as uninspiring, drab and dull.

Many of the knotty issues that had plagued the nation are still there with no commitment or will to deal with them to the advantage of the people. For instance, the crisis in the energy sector is getting worse everyday. Our roads are nightmarish to travel in. The health sector is in a sorry state with the hospitals reduced to care centres resulting in very high mortality rates.

The Niger-Delta problem has taken a new and dangerous dimension. Yet, these are parts of the seven-point agenda which the government promised and intends to pursue. Laudable as the agenda are, there are doubts in their successful implementation to the benefit of the people of this country except the president takes the bull by the horn. How does he accomplish this? First, he should ask himself whether he wants to succeed or fail. But I believe he wants to succeed.

To achieve success therefore, he should remember that the bulk ends on his table and so he should assert himself courageously. Although, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) form the present government and should have a say in the composition of the cabinet, it should concede to the president the prerogative to assemble men and women that would work with him to deliver the goods to the people without unnecessarily over-flooding the list with politicians to satisfy the party rather than the national interest.

With the benefit of hindsight, the magic the introduction of technocrats and professionals by former president Obasanjo achieved during his second term in office should spur the president to look inwards. Today in Nigeria, there are men and women who can hold their heads high anywhere and had been tested in even more difficult terrains and excelled and are still excelling unprecedentally.

With due respect and at the risk of being sycophantic, Professor Dora Akunyili, the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is one Nigerian who bestrides the landscape like a colossus. Her achievements in office in the last seven years is a testimony of somebody who has a direction and aim of achieving success.

Before her appointment, the agency had been in existence with nothing to show for it. It was business as usual like every other government agencies plagued by corruption, red tapism and ineptitude. Today, the story has changed. NAFDAC is not only a pride of the nation but that of the international community. Through the leadership of Prof. Akunyili, confidence has been restored in the people that they can buy and consume quality drugs and other regulated products which form the scope of the agency’s mandate.

This is attested to by her continuous nomination for awards and honours locally and internationally and election or appointment into the governing councils and boards of global health related bodies.

Her successes in the discharge of her responsibilities are simply because she is a round peg in a round hole. Her job overlaps with those of the police, customs, judiciary, information, welfare, health etc. Of course, she has had to generate and prudently manage the agency’s funds. This aside from motivating her staff so they do not compromise or apply double standard.

From the foregoing, Akunyili remains a national pride, an icon and beacon of hope. Her unwavering and dogged crusade in her area of assignment is unequalled. She consequently remains a shining light before the international community and a rare breed of the vanishing tribe of patriotic, honest, hardworking and transparent Nigerians. NAFDAC can be viewed as a microcosm of government establishments. So, if she could do it, then no leader has excuse for failure.

Anybody failing is a square peg in a round hole. With people like the erudite scholar and accomplished professor in Yar’ Adua’s cabinet, there is hope for a turn around in corporate governance and service delivery. As a symbol of creativity, integrity, performance and courage, Yar’ Adua may have found in Professor Akunyili one of the dedicated Nigerians to steer the ship of his administration to the promised land. The time to act is now as the citizens are not ready to accept any excuse for failure again.

Okonkwor lives in Lagos