The 45 newly sworn-in Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were urged by President Bola Tinubu on Monday to put the welfare and interests of the entire country and its diverse population before those of any one region or state.
Speaking at the State House Conference Centre during the inauguration of new Federal Executive Council members, the President emphasized the enormous responsibility the ministers now bear in creating policies that will have a significant impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of Nigerians.
“You are not a minister of a particular state, colony, region, or ethnic nationality. You are a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” President Tinubu declared
“It takes a great team to accomplish this, and I think we now have one. Being appointed as a minister in the Federal Executive Council is an honor, but such a high honor entails enormous responsibility. All of you who have been sworn in have been tasked with standing out in this time of great promise and equal parts danger.
According to him, Nigerians have high expectations for excellence in service delivery, responsibility, and transparency.
The President also reprimanded the new ministers, warning them not to let down Nigerians who count on them to fulfill the administration’s manifesto of “Renewed Hope” with competence, dignity, and integrity. If they fail to do so, the President will not hesitate to take the appropriate corrective action.
“As your country honors you today, you must each strive to elevate your status in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people of our entire country. As President Tinubu congratulated each of the ministers and welcomed them to “the administration of Renewed Hope,” he said, “Your highest responsibility is to rebuild public confidence in government so that our people can once again believe that government can be a positive force for transformation and a vehicle for collective progress of all citizens of this great country.
He added that the newly appointed ministers were chosen for their track records of excellence in the public and private sectors, noting how well they represented Nigeria’s rich diversity.
The President used a metaphor of a journey in which he is the driver of a vehicle and all Nigerians are passengers to express his wishes for the success of the cabinet members in the performance of their duties.
“In this new assignment, we are in this boat together, even if it is a vehicle, I am the driver. The entire nation sits watchful, as you and I navigate this vehicle. We must hold each other responsible. We have to do the job to meet the expectations of all Nigerians. God be with you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Among the dignitaries present were the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
