Before Buhari appoints ministers

As the new administration of Muhammadu Buhari settles in to appoint ministers that will help the president revive the ailing Nigerian economy, it is needful to point out that such appointments must shy away from ethnic, religious and other undesirable considerations that have held the country hostage for many years now.

There is no gainsaying that Nigeria has not fared well in the last 16 years. Before the expiration of the Jonathan administration, the federal and state governments had loads of unpaid salaries. Today, the media is awash with stories bordering on the austere condition and huge debt profile of many states, even the central government. For instance, Nigeria’s total debt profile is put at about $63.7 billion. It is public knowledge that every sector of the nation’s economy is sick, needing urgent expert attention. From the power sector to education, infrastructure to oil and gas, it is the same sad story of rot.

Before the announcement of the new ministers, we deem it necessary to remind the Buhari administration of the need to ensure “quality and not quantity”. While we acknowledge that political considerations may play a role in the appointments, we urge those responsible for the selection to consider robust requisite experience, track records, among other qualities.

In its recommendations recently, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said individuals who have requisite experience in the manufacturing industry should be appointed to preside over the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. Also in an earlier editorial (Nigeria’s next petroleum minister), BusinessDay had made the point that Nigeria’s next petroleum minister is expected to be “an experienced, thorough-bred technocrat who is deeply knowledgeable about the industry, with no baggage of any sort”. Same is also true for other ministries.

But beyond experience and expertise, it is also our suggestion that Buhari, who achieved victory at the presidential election on the merit of his impeccable character, should look out for like-minded people who share his philosophy of austere lifestyle. This is because over the years, Nigeria has attracted to itself ridicule and unnecessary embarrassment as a result of the high level of corruption courted by public officeholders. The nation’s development has been sacrificed on the altar of personal aggrandisement. Many of the ministers in the past administrations were enmeshed in treasury-looting and other hanky-panky which dragged down the Nigerian economy.

It is curious that a country that earned billions of dollars within 15 years of unprecedented crude oil sales could be indebted to the tune of over $60 billion with abandoned projects scattered all over, including not being able to pay workers’ salaries. It was so bad that the immediate past administration had to resort to borrowing to fund recurrent expenditure.

To move the nation forward, therefore, there must be a break from the ugly past. The ministers Nigeria needs at this point are those who must be above board.

So, before Buhari “lays hands” on anybody for ministerial consideration, such an individual must be ready to speak the truth to Nigerians. The era when ministers delighted in lies should be gone forever. We daresay also that those to be appointed ministers must be true lovers of Nigeria, not those who want to serve just to earn a living.

In line with the calls, from all quarters, on government to reduce the cost of governance, it is expected that the Buhari administration will show good example in this regard by pruning the size of his cabinet. Indeed, what comes out soonest as Buhari’s ministerial list will be a pointer to what Nigerians should expect in the next four years.