President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the newly appointed ministers to brace up for the tasks ahead and contribute to build upon the administration’s roadmap of policies, programmes and projects that will lift the bulk of Nigerians out of poverty and set them on the road to prosperity.
Addressing the ministers-designate at the opening of a two-day pre-inauguration presidential retreat on Monday in Abuja, Buhari said: “Our administration’s eight years will have laid the grounds for lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years. This outcome will fundamentally shift Nigeria’s trajectory and place us among the world’s great nations.”
He reminded the ministers that they will be responsible for the development and implementation of policies, programmes and projects in your various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in line with Government priorities and that they must also ensure that agencies under your ministries are effective, efficient and accountable in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“Honourable ministers-designate, we must work as a team. Although you have been chosen to represent your states as a constitutional imperative, it is vital for all of you to work as Nigerians.
“Furthermore, working as a team demands that we know what the next person is doing. You must open communications with your colleagues. Lack of communication leads to lack of cooperation and sub-optimal performance,” he said.
He noted that the country today needs top managers to handle the numerous challenges and “that there will be long hours and you must be prepared to live laborious days if we are to serve our people optimally”.
He recalled that in our first term three salient areas were identified for close attention and action, namely to secure the country, to improve the economy and to fight corruption and that “none but the most partisan will dispute that we have made headway in all three areas”.
The 43 ministers are expected to be inaugurated in Abuja on Wednesday by President Buhari.
GIK/APA