Screening nominees without portfolios

The trend has been for the list of ministerial nominees to be sent to the Senate without portfolios. Many Nigerians have never seen it as the right procedure. I had hoped that the incumbent government would be different, change the trend and set us on the right path. I am aware that many Nigerians expected President Muhammadu Buhari to send the list of ministerial nominees and their assigned ministries. If that had been the case, the euphoria and the long wait for the ministerial list would have climaxed in a robust debate on the suitability of the nominees for their assigned ministries. Not only would the screening have offered Nigerians opportunity to assess the nominees based on the assigned ministries, it would have been the strongest indication on how the President wants to run things. The argument here is that the minister gives political leadership to the ministry and he doesn’t necessarily have to be a specialist but an evidence of his passion for that particular portfolio should be on display in his vision, antecedents and understanding of the dynamics required to handle things and make a change. If he doesn’t inspire, then he is a round peg in a square hole. It is unfortunate that this didn’t happen but we are hoping that this will be the last time the Senate will clear ministerial nominees without their portfolios.
The trend defies logic

The only explanation is that it is part of our learning process. I don’t know if the trend is a carry-over from the parliamentary system. The trend defies logic and common sense because even without the benefit of a democratic practice there is wisdom in letting those who will oversight the ministries assess first-hand the capacity of the ministers to deliver in their assigned ministries before they are cleared. That way, they know what to expect from each minister. In our own case, there is too much politics with the appointment of ministers and that is extended to assigning portfolios to the ministerial nominees. In the American Congress, it is always a robust debate when, for example, the ministerial nominee for Defence is facing the lawmakers. The questions thrown at him go beyond partisanship into the realm of the larger interests of American economy, foreign policy and security. We don’t have such considerations here. We fail to appreciate the fact that each ministerial nominee faces a different set of challenges because each ministry offers its own dynamics and it is on these challenges that he should be assessed. And it will be a problem to assign the Ministry of Defence to someone who has a better inclination to handle the Health Ministry. What kind of person will suit the Finance Ministry but someone who has the composure to attract investors, inspire the banking communities? But this will depend on what the president expects from the ministers or what his agenda is.

The screening looks routine

I sympathise with the senators because watching them, you get the impression that they were clutching at straws trying to second guess the president on which of nominees will for example be the minister of finance as they tried to screen them. And this is part of the reasons it is very important for each nominee to be cleared based on his capability to handle a particular ministry. Were the senators aware of who will head a particular ministry, it would have been easier for them to declare nominees fit or incapable to handle their assigned ministry.

Status of SE and SS nominees

I am answering this question as the President-General of the SESSP. The nominees from Enugu and Imo states are relatively unknown on the national space. For such a national assignment, it should be taken for granted that the nominees should be people whose antecedents are not obscure. Am not saying that they are bad or good, only that it could be a bit tricky if the Senate had assessed or screened for a ministry. The nominee from Abia, Okey Imelama and a debutant on the national stage has a strong background in finance and investment. He could be the choice of the zone in the Finance Ministry for example. Anywhere else will be non-rewarding and a disservice to the zone.

With Dr Chris Ngige (Anambra) and Dr Ogbonnaya Onu from Ebonyi, we have two people whose pedigree stands them in good stead. Ngige has the experiences of a former senator and former governor, while Onu a former governor, former National Chairman of the ANPP was even mentioned as a possible Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) because of his antecedents, temperament, education, exposure and knowledge. Let’s just say that he could fit into one of the strategic ministries, but unlikely to make a good Minister of Sports. Truth is that Onu is the zone’s opportunity to head one of the strategic ministries.

From the South-South zone, let me add that the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ibe Kachikwu, popped up as minister amidst speculations that he could combine his position as GMD and Minister of State. That could be a lot of work but we hope that is the case rather than the government failing to retain him as GMD. Kachikwu, in a short while has done some re-strategizing, set up a team made up of people from public and private sector and a reversal of his work will be a bad signal in the petroleum industry.

The nominees’ list and fight against corruption

It is difficult to say at the moment. I would rather be assessing the nominees on the basis of their performance and what they would bring to the table in terms of changing things and developing the society than anything else. Also, I think the point has to be made that rather than harp on corruption, I would be happy if the government settles down to creating wealth. Corruption is a killer, but creating wealth is more important than fighting corruption; we need to fight corruption but we need to lay more emphasis on the creation of wealth and what we need to do to create more wealth. When you are wealthy, you have the luxury of fighting corruption. If you are fighting corruption without creating wealth, what you will be sharing is poverty. But when you create wealth, there is the off chance that corruption will take some, but you still have the wealth to share. And that is the problem Nigeria could have if we don’t put things in perspective.

In the American Congress, it is always a robust debate when, for example, the ministerial nominee for Defence is facing the lawmakers. The questions thrown at him go beyond partisanship into the realm of the larger interests of American economy, foreign policy and security. We don’t have such considerations here. We fail to appreciate the fact that each ministerial nominee faces a different set of challenges because each ministry offers its own dynamics and it is on these challenges that he should be assessed.

We live under the illusion that we are a rich country but the truth is that we are a poor country based on the parameters of what we earn from oil, our population etc. Even if oil begins to sell for $200 per barrel and we do not create wealth, it will so insignificant for the real development of our population. What is that per capita? We are not a country like Kuwait with its oil money and small population. We depend on oil, but oil is not enough for our population. And it is not surprising that talks of corruption goes on in that sector because that would seem the major source of our wealth. We need to create wealth from other sources, most especially from our human resource but government has failed to create incentives for people to look outside politics and oil.

The government cannot create wealth; what it can do is to create the right environment and incentives to encourage people to create wealth. But incidentally, the country would have been somewhere else if successive governments had created the enabling environment. Wealth creation is not rocket science; it is for the country to learn from wealthy nations that have created wealth and are taking care of their citizens.

SE and SS governors must perform this time around

Right or wrong the president once said that the South East didn’t vote for him and they were not going to be rewarded. Many people felt that that was a wrong way of looking at it. But he still went ahead to make his appointments. Outside the constitutionally mandated appointments, there is no political appointment that has come to the zone. But then, it is an excellent opportunity for the people of the South East to jerk things up. This is time to ensure that the governors deliver and if they don’t perform, they are history in 2019. They have the incentive to perform. If the PDP had returned, nothing would have changed; it would be seen as business as usual. It is no longer so, the governors should perform.