President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja reassured that only
patriotic, decent and experienced Nigerians would be appointed as
ministers in his government.
The President, who was responding to questions on ‘Good Morning Nigeria’,
a television programme, said that politicians and technocrats would make
the list of nominees for ministerial appointments.
“From what I have seen so far, we need really patriotic Nigerians –
Nigerians that can work very hard, knowledgeable, experienced, committed
Nigerians – to be in charge of ministries.
“A lot of the institutions of Nigeria – important institutions – were
compromised. Everybody was for himself and God for all of us; its most
unfortunate.
“We have the people, educated people, experienced people but everybody
seemed to be working for himself – how much he could get as much and as
quick as possible.
“We have to look for technocrats and we have to look for politicians and
certainly we have to look for decent people in this class to give them the
responsibility of being in charge of ministries and important parastatals
(agencies).”
On reported under-dealings in the nation’s oil and gas sector, the
President said that the Federal Government was working very assiduously to
expose the persons behind the illegal activity.
He promised that his administration would continue to update members of
the public on government’s investigation into the matter.
He said that government’s aim was to identify and prosecute all those
found culpable.
According to him, the relevant shipping documents are being compiled for
onward submission to countries of destination of stolen Nigerian crude
oil.
“The search continues; up to the third of this month, our crude was still
being illegally lifted by people who are in government.
“We are trying to get these documents. We are getting the cooperation of
the international community.
“We are going to make sure that those who perpetrated this theft against
Nigeria are faced with facts very soon and are taken to our courts.
“We’ve got the cooperation of some of the countries of the destinations of
our crude (oil) and we are discussing with them.
“We have to maintain high confidentiality so that we don’t risk some of
the loyal Nigerians that are helping us to trace the destinations of this
stolen crude and then the accounts into which the monies are being paid
instead of the Federal Government account.”
Buhari said that his administration was still studying the recommendations
on how the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation should be reorganised.
He described his recent trip to the United States (US) as very successful
as he was able to extract the commitment of the American government to
assist and support Nigeria toward tackling the economic and security
challenges it was facing.
He said that the US and other European countries had also pledged to
assist Nigeria by putting in place necessary security mechanism in the
Gulf of Guinea to help check the theft of the country’s crude oil.
Commenting on the leadership tussle in the National Assembly, the
President reiterated his that he would not interfere directly in the
affairs of the lawmakers.
Buhari, who expressed displeasure and frustration over the lingering
crisis in the Assembly, however, called on those behind the dispute to
search their conscious and obey party’s decisions on issues concerning
their affairs.
He called on Nigerians to cooperate with his administration to move the
country forward and warned that no part of the country would be allowed to
operate on its own.
The President added that the Nigeria “must remain one.”
-NAN