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Nigerians vote for technocrats as ministers

President Muhammadu Buhari has been keeping Nigerians in suspense over his ministerial list and this has been a subject of national discourse since he assumed office on Friday, May 29, 2015.

Some Nigerians ENCOMIUM Weekly spoke to on this gave their opinions on the kind of ministers Nigeria needs at the moment, whether technocrats or politicians.

 

CHRISTIAN OCHULOR – I’d go with technocrats because they have ideas. Although they can be corrupt – they are less likely to be driven by money and so are less likely to embezzle funds compared to politicians who are just business people.

I don’t have particular interest in a select ministry, but we all know some ministries are key to the growth of the country such as education, justice and petroleum.

 

COSMOS UNUMADU – Experts, of course! Politicians are the reason we are where we are today.

For me, I am particularly interested in the economy and education, those, for me determine if we are ready to join the league of developed countries.

 

CHARITY EGBE- I don’t think anyone in his right mind would prefer politicians to technocrats. What have they got to offer other than stealing public funds? But being realistic, there has to be a balance in the selection of the cabinet. Remember, some people contributed to the emergence of the present government through their struggle and investment. So, there has to be a place for them too. That said, they should be given close marking if they would be in the cabinet.

 

BIODUN SANNI – I expect President Buhari to appoint people of integrity like himself, persons who have the best interest of the populace at heart and are ready to make Nigeria work for Nigerians as a whole, not for few looters.  Persons with pedigree and professionals in the ministries they are charged to overlook.

Finance, petroleum, labour, power, works. To be frank, all ministries. They all have roles in making holistic the change agenda of the President. The reason for my interest is I want to see Nigeria work again.

Technocrats all through. Maybe politicians who are technocrats will also do, so that people that worked with him to win the election and are individuals of high pedigree can also enjoy the fruit of their labour in seeing that a genuine man takes charge of the helm of affairs in our country.

 

SOLOMON TOYE – Ministers that are ready to work, ready to change things for the better of our country. Labour and productivity because Nigerian youth needs employment.

Technocrats should be more because they are believed to be dedicated unlike our politicians who are going there for their pocket sake.

 

SHOLA OLABISI – Dedicated, hard working and honest set of people who have the goodwill of Nigerians and Nigeria at heart. People who are not interested in enriching their purse. People who are willing to serve genuinely.

They are the set of people we are expecting. Labour, power sector, finance and petroleum. They are the most important sectors to me. A lot of people who head those sectors in the past didn’t perform too well.

Technocrats, politicians have disappointed us in time past, more so, they are after money. It is rare to see a trustworthy politician. They all want to share in the national cake.

 

TAFA MUSTAPHA – Technocrats are what I’m expecting with the likes of Prof. Pat Utomi hopefully coming on board. I will be more interested in the ministries of works and transportation.

Virtually all the roads across the country are as bad as hell.

Let these ministries work to ensure that roads are vehicles worthy and effective means of transportation are put in place for ordinary Nigerians that ply these roads daily. We should get value for the taxes we pay daily. We don’t pay taxes to have our roads done half way, making it a short cut to end our lives via road accidents.

 

IJEOMA ADECHE – Ministers that have vision and would do what is right. People who will do what will benefit everybody and not what will benefit them and their family or their friends. Ministry of finance is the first, we need someone that will be transparent in that ministry because handling a lot of money can be tempting for one who doesn’t have conscience. I think we should have more of technocrats so that they won’t do something that will favour their party, although some politicians are good too, President Buhari has to be very careful.

 

BEN UZOR – I will like to see honest and mature men and women as Buhari’s cabinet members. They don’t have to be professors to become ministers. What Nigeria needs as a nation goes beyond academic qualification. We don’t want people of questionable character to surround Buhari. He has been patient enough so, he needs to be very careful. He must be spoon fed. He’s a man of hunour and integrity. Although, it may be difficult for him to get100 percent saints as ministers, he should just be very careful. And ministries of finance and petroleum are very important and should be manned by honest hands.

 

TAWAKALITU ADIO – I think President Buhari should know better in that direction because he won’t want to fail. He should just look out for the best hands in all sectors and such must be drawn from all the geo-political zones to reflect federal character as enshrined in our constitution. But no matter the criteria, appointments must be based on merit. He should not be in a haste. The list before him must be thoroughly screened. And anyone to be appointed minister must first pass integrity test.  That I think is the most important factor if the country must move forward.

 

EZEKIEL OLOYE – The kind of ministers I expect to work with President Buhari should be those without any fraudulent or corrupt practices in their records. They should all be men of integrity so as not to truncate Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade. We need the ministers that will reshape our economy and not those who will draw it backward.

I particularly will love to see a very sincere and honest man handling our petroleum ministry because no matter how we see it now, it’s still our major source of revenue and shouldn’t be handled by a man that will toy with it.

Encomium

Written by Encomium

A media, tech and events company.

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