According to Special Advisor to the President on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not hesitant to oust any minister who is not up to par in carrying out his or her responsibilities.
This he said during a session with Channels Television on Monday, August 28.
Ngelale claims that the president had commissioned multiple reform committees across all economic sectors before appointing his ministerial cabinet, and as a result, the ministers already had goals they had to meet by specific dates.
He added that these standards must be met, and that the president is willing to make sure he monitors the accomplishments reported by his ministers in relation to these standards.
In line with what Ngelale said about the reform committee reports, keep in mind that the Bola Tinubu Advisory Council’s Energy and Natural Resources subcommittees suggested some adjustments to the oil and gas sectors in June 2023. A few of which are;
- Stripping the NNPCL of policy-making roles selling down NNPCL’s joint ventures to a minority position and developing an operating model that eliminates cash calls with a targeted raise of $17.4 billion.
- A target of 4 million barrels per day production capacity, 12 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of gas production capacity, and 7,500kta Petrochemicals capacity by 2030.
- Expanding domestic gas reserves and promoting the development of a diversified oil and gas industry by implementing reforms in PIA including network code.
In the meantime, in August 2023, Armstrong Takang, Chief Executive Officer at Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), confirmed that the government is contemplating selling stakes in NNPCL and other entities in the country. The ministry is considering options including initial public offerings and strategic sales and aims to implement the plan within 18 months.
While still on the session with Channels Television on (August 28, 2023), when discussing the issue of reducing the costs of governance, Ngelale stated that President Tinubu is devoted to serving as the leader who will carry out the recommendations of the Oronsaye report.
He asserts that the president’s willingness to reduce the expense of governance is unaffected by the fact that there are now more ministers.
According to him, there is no longer any justification for failure because Tinubu only assigned each minister to one crucial area, as opposed to the past when some ministers held two or three responsibilities.
In conclusion, the Oronsaye study, which was released in 2014, noted that there were 541 parastatals, commissions, and agencies of the Federal Government at the time (both statutory and non-statutory).
It suggested that 263 statutory agencies be cut down to 161, 38 agencies be eliminated, 52 agencies be combined, and 14 agencies be converted back into departments in ministries.
