What will Yar’Adua do with his ministers?

President Umar Musa Yar’AduaThe growing expectation in the polity today is what President Umar Musa Yar’Adua will do with his cabinet which some people describe as laidback and not at par with those of the Olusegun Obasanjo period. Many also believe that part of the misgiving of the people concerning the slowness of this administration has to do with the lack of verve of some of the ministers. Thus, many expect a change.

But, going by the attitude of Yar’Adua as someone who does not expectedly follow conventions and the fact that he is a gentle and pragmatic leader who believes that one does not throw away the baby with the bath water, many do not expect wholesale reshuffling of the cabinet. Mr. President, because he also took time in appointing them, will not quickly want to announce that he made mistakes in his first major duty as president.

Most importantly, the thinking within the Yar’Adua power caucus is that the administration is on a gradual and systematic transformation of all sectors of the economy with the ministers as pivot. Many are also of the view that because many of the ministries are facing inquisition by various committees of the National Assembly, the past few months have not allowed some of the ministers to showcase the talent which Yar’Adua saw in them.

Some have however been able to distinguish themselves as worthy of office. Thus, can Yar’Adua afford to change his cabinet now? If the president however decides to follow the convention as laid down by his predecessor, who will go?

Sunday Tribune is thus taking a cursory look at the characteristic of some of the ministers, particularly on what they have been able to do these past few months. Debo Abdulai, Taiwo Adisa and Jackson Udom report.

Mike Aondoakaa
He has acquired the status of the most controversial Minister of this era after he jumped into the controversy over the control of the anti-graft agencies early in the life of the administration. Aondoakaa was to later engage in some verbal media attacks with the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, when he insisted that all prosecutions by the agency should be rooted through his office.

Many saw the move as a bid to cripple the anti-graft war, while the friendship of Aondoakaa and some of the former governors who are under investigation by the EFCC also came into focus in the media, the Minister will not be cowed as he emerged one of the most influential Ministers of this era.

Several reports had it that the President was contemplating sacking the minister, having allegedly embarrassed the presidency on a number of occasions but that his membership of the power caucus made it difficult. It was stated that the AGF and some of the Ministers have perfected ways of going through the first Lady to soften grounds for them in the presidency anytime they suspect moves against them.

One of the contentious situations the AGF put the President was the controversy over the appointment of the new chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri. The Minister had advised the President to go ahead and name Waziri in acting capacity without Senate Clearance.

The development caused the Senate to take an angry disposition to Waziri’s nomination when her name was eventually sent to the chamber. A parley between the President and the senate Leadership was said to have doused the tension.

SAYYADI ABBA RUMA
He is also regarded as one of the most powerful Ministers of the government. A source once quoted him as saying that he and his colleagues in government are not only in government but in power. A number of sources believe that Ruma has the ears of President Umaru Yar’Adua and that his closeness with the President influenced the confidence he often exhibits.

Ruma’s Ministry, Agric and Water Resources, came into focus recently when he raised the alarm that food crisis was imminent in the country at a Senate hearing. His alarm immediately pushed the government to announce the plan to allow the importation of rice to the tune of N80 billion among other measures. Though the Ministry later clarified that the government was not just pumping N80 billion into rice importation, as its measures include increment in fertilizer production and empowerments for local businessmen to import rice in the short run, the announcement triggered another alarm that the plan to commit N80 billion into rice importation would hurt the economy at the long run. Ruma is not a controversial figure, but he always exude the confidence of a man who knows the inner workings of the government. That should translate into greater achievements in the near future.

CHARLES UGWUH
The minister could be said to be a round peg in a round hole when he was named Minister of industries. He was a former Chairman of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN). He has however remained a silent figure ever since he became the Minister. Three weeks ago, Cement manufacturers in the country targeted Ugwuh as enemy as he was seen to have contravened the due process mantra of this administration by granting licenses to import 50 kg bags of cement to some importers, without involving the manufactures who believed that such an importation would hurt their investments.

The minister had indicated that his measure was aimed at crashing cement prices, which has continue to gallop, but the manufacturers insisted that such licenses should have been granted to those who have investments in the sector rather than some middlemen, who would only be interested in imports. That controversy is still on and it remains to be seen how Ugwu would emerge to face his former constituency in the raging fire.

SHAMSUDEEN USMAN
Here is another Minister who speaks with the confidence of ‘the President sent me’. He often betrays the confidence of someone who is in the inner caucus of government. However, some sources have seen his penchant to talk down on the immediate past administration as capable of hurting him afterwards. Just last week, Usman appeared in the Senate to declare that the last administration was reckless in setting up the Due Process office and in making approvals, whereas he was a Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), whose words should have weight against any perceived ills.

Before his declaration at the senate, Usman’s pronouncement was believed to be one of the reasons for the policy reversals of the administration, particularly the reversal of the sale of Transcorp and NICON Insurance. He was also vociferous against the bid by the Senate to resolve the controversy over the sale of NICON, quoting legalities, but when some other arm of the government moved against the recalcitrance, the President was said to have bought the idea and returned the companies to their owners.

ALIU MODIBBO UMAR
He recently started showing his hands as minister of the Federal Capital Territory recently. Many had criticized him for allowing Abuja to drift when he came to office and there was an alarm by embassies in Abuja over security measures in the city. Modibbo had responded with the setting up of the community policing initiative and also recently got the Federal Execitive Council (FEC) to approve the Abuja Boulevard project in furtherance of the Abuja Master Plan. Maybe the Minister took time to study the operations of his immediate predecessor, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, especially as regards demolition of houses and he has now come to the conclusion that the implementation of the Abuja Master Plan must continue. That might have informed the approval of the Abuja Boulevard project.

One of the issues that tended to dwarf Modibbo’s activities in the FCT is his “war” with el-Rufai, particularly insinuations that he had orchestrated the probe of the former Minister, but wise counsel seemed to have prevailed to the extent that an incumbent minister will not be judged on account of how much disagreements he had with his predecessors, but on how much he delivers the goods to the people. Modibbo can be said to have stepped on that train lately.

AKINLABI OLASUNKANMI
Minister of Youth Development: He was a Senator of the Federal Republic till June 2007 when he emerged Minister. Since he took charge of the Ministry, he has refrained from controversies apparently drawing from his experience in the Senate. It is to his credit that the camping exercise of February was not further delayed after the National youth Service Corps (NYSC) had indicated that the exercise would not hold. He has also been able to properly focus the ministry which is at its infancy and has drawn up, for the first time, a national policy on youths. While exhibiting his silent disposition, it is obvious he will still do more to lift up the Youth Ministry.

ADEREMI BABALOLA
Minister of State Finance: He has proved himself as a stabilizing factor in the ministry and perhaps drawing much from his experience as a banker. He also proved himself as having a good grasp of the sector whenever he had the chance of addressing the media after the FEC.

SANUSI DAGASSH
Minister of National Planning: He recently broke the rule of camaraderie in the Senate when he engaged the Senators in some verbal war. He was in the Senate till June 2007 and was once the spokesman of the upper chamber. But indications in the National Assembly had fingered Dagassh as the brain behind the controversy over the 2008 budget at the presidency. When the whole thing finally boiled over, the senate declared its readiness to cut his Ministry’s budget by as much as 1,000 percent. Dagassh threw the first punch when he accused the National Assembly of cutting his budget from N6.5 billion to N4 billion in 2008. The anger in the Senate informed the quick response from Senator Ayogu Eze, the incumbent spokesman, who stated that the Ministry of National Planning does not have capacity to spend huge funds and that as a capacity building arm of government it might just be left to manage N5 million for the year. The Minister is still grappling with the controversy.

ADETOKUNBO KAYODE
Prince Kayode, soft-spoken, is a core party man from Ondo State. Kayode, a team player, bridge builder and an accomplished SAN has surprisingly brought a lot of innovation to the Ministry of Tourism, culture and national orientation. Aside investing a lot into building himself for the job, Kayode has also imbibed the culture of servant-leadership and manifested this when his ministry organised a workshop on the concept which was held in Minna recently.

For the first time too, the Abuja carnival became self-sustaining as it was privately sponsored. He also ensured that the president approved the National Tourism Masterplan in October 2007 which created a clear vision for practitioners in the tourism sub-sector. For the first time too, hotels were graded in line with international standards while in his bid to make the tourism sub-sector highly productive and play a central role in international tourism, the Tourism Business Support Group, which he initiated, comprises about 20 high net worth stakeholders, bank executives, industrialists to support ideas and provide assistance in the area of high level policy formulation and specific policy implementation. Under him, the country now has a calendar of tourism events while the first

Africa arts and crafts expo will be held in Abuja in August and will afford participants, from all over Africa, to showcase their handiwork and reap bountiful economic benefits. In September, Nigeria, through Kayode’s ministry, will open its doors again to about 1500 participants in the first African regional summit and exhibition. And across the borders, Kayode initiated the idea of a West Africa Tourism Organization to enable the sub-region to have a common front for tourism and cultural development. While he ensured that the Tourism Satellite Account which will enable tourism policy makers and practitioners obtain vital statistics for planning, budgeting and other developmental purposes, came to life Nigeria is also now e-tourism compliant. Though much still needs to be done especially in the area of making tourism the heartbeat of Nigeria’s drive for foreign investment, he has however, shown the required promise to continue being a minister particularly in the ministry where he has invested a lot of ideas.

JOHN ODEY
When you want to define the word gentle, you only need to look at John Odey to get inspired. Cool, unassuming, tactful and hardworking, Odey who managed the PDP during its most trying period as its national publicity secretary has brought the same calmness and maturity to the Information ministry. His character perfectly matches that of the president and he is said to be close to the president. He is so conservative in his lifestyle that you think he has no extra-curricular activity outside his work schedule. And so far, he has done his job with minimum fuss.

YAYALE AHMED
A civil service technocrat, Ahmed, former Head of Service in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration is today the Minister of Defence which ordinarily would be considered a square peg in a round hole but going by his candour and conduct he has been able to steer the ship of the defence ministry successfully. He is so quiet to the extent of being taciturn. A former room-mate of the president, Yayale Ahmed is also a member of the very inner caucus of the president, a member whose ideas and suggestions are never taken for granted by the president. And because he comes across with very well thought out proposals, the president will always want him by his side.

HALIMA ALAO
She oversees affairs in the ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Planning. She came into the President Umar Yar’Adua administration after a stint with the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration. Her appointment into the Environment Ministry to say the least brought out the best in this amazon and workaholic minister, who shortly after her inauguration, and oblivious of the daunting task which awaited her in the ministry, swung into action and before long, her impact in the ministry was seen and felt all over the states.

In just a year in office, the ministry under Halima has shown capacity to address the myriad of environmental issues and the challenge of providing affordable and decent housing for Nigerians. The ministry, in the last few months has been able to tackle the problem of erosion and flood, air and water pollution, waste disposal, drought, desertification and deforestation, as well as inadequate housing and urban slums just to mention a few.

The ministry under Halima carried out feasibility studies in 15 States across the country in the area of integrated waste management, and it is on records that the waste Management facility in Aba , in Abia State has commenced, while the one in Ibadan was flagged off on October 2, 2007, just three months after resumption. The Integrated Waste Management facilities have also been established in Uyo, Onitsha , Lagos , Kano , Kaduna , Maiduguri and Ota..

In her effort at ensuring proper environmental governance, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) she has given the agency the power to enforce compliance with relevant laws on the environment. She has also given approval for the opening of its offices in the 36 states of the federation. In order to give the agency a legal tooth to bite, the ministry, in collaboration with the ministry of justice is collaborating to have a mobile court all over the country to try offenders of environmental laws and mete out appropriate sanctions to serve as a deterrent to would be law breakers. Though not publicity crazy, she believes that her good works in the ministry would naturally give her the needed publicity.

DIEZANI ALLISON-MADUEKE
She came into the federal cabinet as a famous technocrat and she immediately showed the required brilliance when, arms akimbo, she stood on the Lagos/Benin expressway where she promised that the very bad road would be rehabilitated before December. Her beauty, especially accentuated by her Orange overall, might have forced many editors to splash her pictures on their front pages..

That was the last that was heard of her as it appeared that the occasion proved to be too big for her. That particular road is still bad, even though it received some cosmetic repairs. She is again in the limelight due mainly to the Senate probe into the transport and aviation sector. Because she came with a lot of promise, Allison-Madueke may be moved into another ministry. That will however depend on how far the allegation that she also engaged in hurried expenditure of about N31billion on public holidays and weekends in a bid to beat the December deadline of unspent budget pains out.

HASSAN LAWAL
This is one minister who is calm and collected. He does his work so quietly that he does not like being reminded that he is a minister. He flaunts nothing which may account for him being one of the longest serving ministers in the country. Even during the turbulent days of the labour/Obasanjo crisis, he was not found wanting. He is very balanced. Today, he remains in the same ministry under Yar’Adua and is supervising the ministry of health aftermath the sacking of Adenike Grange.

Ojo Maduekwe, Minister of Foreign Affairs
He has been a regular face in the government since the dawn of democratic rule and his experience has also come to bare on the foreign policy of the government. While the government needed to be more proactive in the area of protection of the rights of Nigerians in foreign lands, Maduekwe has brought a bit of his maturity to weigh on that office.

Godwin Abbe, Minister of Interior: He has also shown as one of the silent figures of this administration. He is said to have deployed his experience as a military officer to bare in the office, stabilizing the forces under his Ministry, including the Immigration service, Civil Defence etc.

Emmanuel Odusina, Minister of state, Energy Gas:
With the evolving energy sector in the country, it is expected that the expertise of Odusina, as a technocrat in the oil sector before his appointment would bring dividends to the troubled energy sector. He has equally refrained from controversy after scaling the attitude of his Ekiti compatriots in petition writing to get senate nomination.

GNU Ministers
Question marks hang on the workability of the Government of Unity (GNU) as nothing is really being heard from the Ministers who constitute the cabinet from the opposition parties; the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Progressive Peoples Party (PPA). Hajiya Saudatu Bungudu as Minister of Women Affairs has been less active in that front as the former Ministers in that portfolio, while Mr. Chuka Odom, of the PPA, as Minister of State, Housing amd Environment, appeared to have been enveloped by the activities of the main Minister, Hajia Halimo Tayo Alao.