President Bola Tinubu has called on his newly appointed ministers to join him in addressing the pressing issues facing Nigeria. This appeal came after the swearing-in of seven ministers in Abuja, following their clearance by the National Assembly.
Emphasizing the importance of public service, Tinubu remarked, “Service is the hallmark of this human endeavour; you are being called upon to serve.” He expressed confidence in Nigeria’s path to economic recovery, stating, “Economic recovery is on the horizon.”
“We have a good path to realise our dreams and it is not just only for us, it is for our children and grandchildren,” he added. While acknowledging the high cost of living that many Nigerians face, he pointed to recent achievements, including the implementation of a new minimum wage and a reduction in debt servicing from 97% to 65% of revenue.
The ministers sworn in include Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment, and Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Other appointees are Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment; Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf Ata, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development; and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education.
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Tinubu expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for their prompt review and approval of the new ministers.
In her address, Odumegwu-Ojukwu thanked the President for her appointment and pledged to support the government’s foreign policy goals. “The President has made things easier by establishing a clear foreign policy direction,” she said.
She underscored the necessity of harnessing the skills, creativity, and financial contributions of young Nigerians and the Diaspora, which she noted remits $22 billion annually. She advocated for partnerships with them to build strategic ties with global financial institutions.
Jumoke Oduwole also recognized President Tinubu’s focus on trade and investment, emphasizing the need to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to benefit Nigerian businesses and to balance the retention of domestic investments with the attraction of new ones.