36 MINISTERS AND THE FAILED THEORY OF CUTTING COSTS

A lot of Nigerians wouldn't have believed anyone who told them President Buhari would end up appointing 36 Ministers after he was sworn-in on May 28th 2015.Nigeria was being run at an outrageously high cost and his man message on every pulpit he stood to preach was 'Change'.His then Vice-President Elect gave astonishing figures of how neck deep in debt we were and PMB himself not only promised to cut costs but appeared to be fully acquainted with the need to do so when he said the 2015 budget was 90% recurrent expenditure and 10% Capital expenditure.
To state it analogically, a man who spends almost all his money on day to day living expenses isn't on the right path because he has little left to better his life.
In an article I wrote before we ushered in Mr President titled CUTTING THE COST OF GOVERNANCE which can be read here-http://umarfarukhassan.blogspot.com/2015/04/cutting-cost-of-governance.html, I advised against appointing Minister of States if indeed we are worried about costs.To say i am disappointed is only stating the obvious as there wouldn't be 36 appointees if we didn't still leave room for 'deputy Ministers'.Quite frankly, even before things got this bad, I never saw any need for them.
The same Constitution which provides for an indigene from each state to be appointed Minister also empowers the President in Section 147 (1) to establish such offices of Ministers he deems fit.If you apply the right rule of legal interpretation, that supercedes the 'Every State' proviso to Section 147 (3).
Contrary to a widely held belief, Mr President isn't obligated to have 36 Ministers in one fell swoop.There is no better 'deputy Minister' than the Permanent Secretary.He, in conjunction with his Directors are enough to provide all the assistance a Minister could posssibly need.Believe it or not, the monies alloted to Ministers of State as part of our 'recurrent expenditure' over a 4 year period is enough to fund a tangible project worth remembering any government for.
There has been a lot of talk about diversifying our economy as the President himself has said the 2016 budget will be geared towards that.But only few realize you need money to open other doors.To have a second means of livelihood means to invest towards that.We just can't get into agriculture or any other source of income and expect to be major players overnight.We need to develop and have enough to survive on till it becomes a viable second means.And we can't do this if we are struggling to pay salaries and ward off petroleum marketers.Please note that these salaries are not that of the Senators, Governors or the President but that of Civil Servants.The recommendations of the committee set up by the Senate to review its entitlements looks set to die the 'nigerian death'; gradually being ushered out of our consciousness and you wouldn't argue much if the President said he was helpless over that but he definitely isn't when it comes to the Ministers.
I had already started to dream of a Nigeria that would cut its coat according to its cloth before the lists of Ministers were submitted to the Senate and I envisioned us without a Women Affairs Ministry as all it does can be delegated to others.A Nigeria without a Niger-Delta Ministry that has clearly outlived its usefulness.I thought we would no longer laugh at the joke called the Special Duties Ministry and its sister in 'Beautiful Nonsensicality'; the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.We might as well create a Ministry of Civil Defence affairs if anyone thinks its wise to still maintain the Police Affairs Ministry.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying they aren't in anyway useful, all I am saying is that their functions can be properly carried out without them being in place.For someone who has always had that belief, retaining them in times like these appears very ridiculous.Well, they are likely going to still be around for a long time from the look of things and without any alteration to their structure if we are going to have ministers and deputies.
With both sets of lawmakers still commanding way more than N10 million a month, the President has shot down all hopes of a drastic reduction in the cost of governance by appointing this many Ministers as all other measures would only amount to emptying a river with a cup.

MINISTERIAL LIST:THE FALLACY OF A NEW SCHOOL

President Olusegun Obasanjo might not be the best leader we have ever had.Maybe not even among the top 3 but one thing I love about the 'OBJ Brand' is the intrigue surrounding it.He is among the elite few we can allow to get away with anything because of his immense Star Power.We listen whenever he speaks.From elaborate tales of how he bettered our economy with impressive figures without a commensurate improvement in the lives of Nigerians to ones of President Jonathan training snipers.He never ceases to amaze me.
When a man has entered old age, there are two sets of words he speaks-Ones you let go down the drain and Ones you should never forget.OBJ spoke words for the archives when he said years ago that the younger generation had failed us too.He went on to mention the names of some leaders under the age of 50 who served under him with nothing to show for it except EFCC Cases in Court.I was keen on reactions to President Buhari's Ministerial list and the most ridiculous of all were ones criticizing it for having too many recycled faces and less new blood.What is 'Change' with these same faces forming the Government?
While one may agree with those who feel that Femi Adesina, the Presidential Special Adviser on Media should have left his defense at competent faces and not proceed to give us 'Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense' lectures (Apologies to the Late Fela Anikulapo Kuti) about the difference between chronological age and mental age, I agree with the crux of his submission-Competence over Age.
The average nigerian in his quest for a better nation has been blinded to some harsh realities.Anyone who hasn't served in any previous government automatically appeals to him.Tell him the person is not even in his Mid-Fifties and he will cut you short with stories of the most recent young leaders in the world and how that person is best suited for any job.But that does not in anyway guarantee a new way of doing things.
It is imperative we look at the bottom.The many Youth bodies around these days are set up for one goal-Visiting and Collecting stipends from politicians to share among themselves in an era where every Nigerian Senator can afford to empower 10 youths every month with N500,000 to better their lives.That would be a better goal.The young politician is thinking of selling his support to the highest bidder or aligning with the Kingmaker no matter how corrupt during elections.Gone are the days  you would wake up to screams of 'Greatest Nigerian Students' and watch NANS demonstrate over a bad governmental policy.We seem to really think too highly of the Young Nigerian. 
The majority of the biggest thieves in recent times are young leaders whom we expected nothing short of astuteness,dynamism and a better understanding of how things should work from at the beginning. But the manner in which they looted and flaunted it makes you want to wish for the 'Seniors' who seem more honourable in the art of stealing.Lucky Igbinedion employed house helps from the Philippines and seemed to want to own every property he loved,Saminu Turaki robbed Jigawa State blind and Ibori owned a private jet and Bentley in Office.We have seen what Bukola Saraki can do and Our immediate past new blood and highly educated President oversaw what is arguably the most corrupt Nigerian Government ever.Those are some of the Young Leaders who have served us and though there are exceptions, I don't think anyone can categorically say the majority of those who have shone bright belong to the new school.
'Change' to me is a better life for Nigerians and not new faces in Government.A deep dig into the careers of some of the known faces in PMB's ministerial list would reveal some very impressive details.Govs Amaechi, Ngige and Fashola all served their people well and as far as petitions go, any bitter rival can file them.The man at the top is what really matters to me and he hasn't disappointed me so far.He will co-ordinate and oversee the affairs of the Ministers and drop who necessary.The focus should be on the credibility and integrity of those listed to be Ministers and not hating them outright for being old faces.Only in the Super Eagles do you need to replace tired legs with fresher and hungrier ones.
We must abide by the 3 Cs in selecting leaders-Competence,Credibility,Capability.Nothing more. 

WHEN THE CONSTITUTIONAL THING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT

The Nigerian Senate is statutorily obligated to confirm nominees intended to be appointed Ministers  by the President and for the first time in our history, a Senate has insisted on screening a President who has appointed himself Minister of Petroleum (President Obasanjo did as well).Sen. Bukola Saraki has played the 'victim' role perfectly well and has succeeded in making his colleagues believe they are standing up to witch hunt and intimidation as far as the Presidency is concerned.They'll win because I don't see anyway around the Provision of Section 147 (2) of the Constitution which encompasses every ministerial nomination or 'appointment' made by the President because the President appointed himself.You can't blame a man for doing the right thing but you can love him for foregoing it for a greater good.
It would be most degrading to the office of the President to have him stand before people who set out just to prove they could have him there.I hate to imagine what he could be subjected to on National TV just because someone sees it as a chance to throw back some punches and win a round.Well, maybe it is indeed a fight.
But even if one sees it from that perspective,it is a fight between good and evil.The President's first sin was not interfering in the Senate Presidency tussle like a true democrat should.Second would be promising to work with anybody as long as they weren't corrupt and third, convening a meeting to help mediate between winners of the Party's NASS leadership primaries and aggrieved factions.Lastly, punishing a corrupt Senate President who abstained from the settlement meeting with his cohorts to stage a 'coup' of an election.Evil in this case is subjective-The Constitutional thing or The right thing?.Pick a Side.
The Senate has come out to say everyone will be subjected to proper screening and that the days of 'Take a bow and Leave' Ministerial screenings are over.Well, it could mean they are starting to do their job well but it could also mean they are creating a perfect atmosphere to prey on their victims.You get a feeling this could be the most dramatic Senate Screening ever and even if all nominees are eventually cleared, they would leave there wondering if questions could get any more obnoxious.
That is what the President of the Federal Republic could go through in addition to perhaps singing the National Anthem and reciting the ABC.All because someone has their one shot and they have to make it count.
Ordinarily, PMB is of the 'Take a bow and leave' category not just because he is President but also because he served the country meritoriously well when he held the portfolio in question and also made huge strides in the Oil sector as Head of State.Strides that include building refineries, establishing about 20 depots and laying more than 3,000 pipelines to connect them.You couldn't wish for a better person to man the affairs of the Ministry.Least of all,now when it is at its worst.He has earned every iota of the respect he commands.The Senate President could very well end up in jail for a long time and it wouldn't be out of place for him to seize every opportunity to vent his frustration on the President.The Senate have every right to insist on screening the President as our Constitution says but is it right in these circumstances?.I don't think so.