President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government and Nigeria can not afford to pay forty two ministers and that not all the ministerial nominees that have been screened will have portfolios.
He went on to say that he will reduce the numbers of ministries.
Buhari in an interview with Channels TV and The Nigerian Television Authority in New Delhi in India said that he is working with a team of people introduced to him by others that he trusts and must work with them.
Buhari while reacting to questions on the divide in the National Assembly over Rotimi Amaechi’s confirmation as minister said he did not walk into the presidency alone hence he can not work alone and that some of those having problems at the National Assembly he has never met them.
‘This is team work I said I know people but there are people that I accept from other people in our team that I trust without even knowing them.
‘May be those that are having problems in the National Assembly I doubt if I have met him in my life but then I am working with others.
‘I did not walk into the presidency alone. I have to depend on all the three tiers of government from all parts of the country.
Backing the 36 Ministerial nominees Buhari said that he can not work outside the constitution and that ministers must be appointed in conformity with the constitution by appointing a minister from each of the 36 states.
And that these ministerial nominees though representing their sates some will not have portfolios but will be part of his cabinet.
‘We can not work outside the constitution, there must be a cabinet representative from each state.
‘There used to be forty two minister but I think we can nearly keep have half of that now because we can not afford it. Others may not be substantive ministers but they will seat in the cabinet because that is what the constitution said and we can’t operate outside the constitution
We are reducing the number of ministries we can’t afford to pay. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
...not all nominees will have portfolio. Nigeria cannot afford to pay 42 ministers. Sometimes I wonder if this administration is confused. Why would you appoint ministers, send them for screening and after being confirmed, you won't give them portfolios? Do you ever sit down and think before you plan? Are you not supposed to have known the number of ministers you really want before nomination? In fact, I'm beginning to consider the propaganda that Mr President is uneducated and a high school dropout is true. Nawa o!
ReplyDeleteBros the guy said he cannot work outside the constitution. Constitution says he must have someone from each state in his cabinet. Our coffers cant afford 36 ministries but then we must have ppl from all states in the cabinet. So we will simply have ministers without portfolios. Better to pay just one person than create another ministry with a lot of people you will be owing salaries. Gaskiya?
DeleteBros u no get sense. He's finding a way round the constitution. Nigeria can't afford a bogus cabinet
DeleteMy friend mind your word i see through your stupid comment you're a big ignorant for calling our PMB uneducated, through this way your zookeeper fake PhD GEJs steal our Money, saying stealing is not corruption nonsense, you have to what to say be4 sending unrecognized comment bloody PDP supporter........
DeleteAnonymous October 31, 2015 at 11:03 AM, why do you speak ignorantly. If you have evidence against GEJ why not go to court. Have you not seen the president is not fighting corruption but political enemies as he selected some corrupt sacred cows as a minister. Please sir/ma shine your eyes and think before commenting. I support this person because there is no need for Mr. President to heat up the policy by bringing in Ameachi. Fshiola's crime might be forgiven. But Ameachi's crime ...
DeleteTo the poster above me ...‘This is team work I said I know people but there are people that I accept from other people in our team that I trust without even knowing them." And besides , the senate which consists of both rival parties , collectively approved the ministers.
DeleteBut u can afford to approve a contract of 63.5bn naira just for a run way whereas that amount can build 4 new airports, rogues.
ReplyDeleteChairman he hasnt approved that runway build o. if he had he wouldn't have had to send it to the senate. By the way that same contract with same figure was brought to the senate by the last administration ke.
DeleteAnd your senate president who is playing to the gallery built an overhead bridge in ilorin for that same amount while he was governor o
What is my biz with senate president? U don't have common sense, he sent an inflated contract sum for approval by the senate abi? If it were to be a rubber stamped senate, it will scale through.
DeleteThe question is why would he send an inflated contract that was cancelled by previous administration to the senate?
Where are we heading to for God sake? What is wrong with u? Is Buhari God that cannot make mistakes? Is Buhari a saint? U better have a rethink.
Does anyone here know the pay package of ministers? please let me know thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo what will the ones that do not have portfolios be doing? Only sit at cabinet meetings? My thinking is that an assigned portfolio/ministry determines the work of a minister. Anyway, we will wait and see as things emerge. God bless and help Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteMinistries need to be merged, with one minister serving as deputy to the other since that's what the constitution dictates. America has 50 states but 15 Secretaries (Ministers). What do we need all these Ministers for? How many ministries the country has should not be a constitutional matter. The constitution needs to be changed to address this.
ReplyDeleteThis cattle reader illiterate president sef. I taya ooo
ReplyDeleteIf the financial resources of the country is not strong enough to pay 42 Ministers, then the constitution should be changed in order to protect the treasury. Undoubtedly, we need to reduce the number of Ministers! There are 50 states in America with only 15 Secretary of States. Nigeria should learn to move forward rather than continue to waste the lean resources.
ReplyDelete