In what many believe is the reward for hard work, former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, was Wednesday named Minister of Power, Works and Housing.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed himself Minister of Petroleum Resources, to be assisted by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ibe Kachikwu, as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
The President also assigned portfolios to 34 others at a ceremony held at the Presidential Villa.
It brings to an end 166 days in which Buhari was the sole administrator of Africa’s biggest economy.
Buhari described the event as a milestone and added that since his inauguration in May, he had been optimistic of bringing high quality persons into his cabinet.
He said the choice was deliberate to appoint square pegs in square holes to avoid the mistake of appointing those who would not perform.
“We are optimistic that bringing these set of ministers into the service of our country today, is a step in the right direction and timely move towards realising our positive goals for our country.
“Since we assumed office in May, I had been mindful of the need to ensure that the appointment of new ministers translate into a round pegs in round holes while showing sensitivity to our diversity as a people and our various positions as groups of stakeholders of our country.
“I have also been conscious of the need not to repeat such mistakes of the past where the right people were allocated the wrong portfolios which translated into their performing poorly to our collective detriment despite their obvious capability,” he said.
The president said the government would continue to implement its policies decisively.
The president said the government was determined to diversify the economy to make the agriculture and solid mineral sectors major revenue earners.
“The primary aim is to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of rice, wheat and to become a major consumer and exporter of those items as well as solid minerals,’’ Mr. Buhari said.
He said the administration would pursue policies that would generate employment, improve security, tackle corruption and rout Boko Haram insurgency and other social vices.
The president said his administration had made progress in its short period, which should be taken as indication that more could be achieved through common resolve and patriotism by all.
He said the introduction of the Treasury Single Account had conserved foreign exchange and made money available for governance.
The president added that the Central Bank of Nigeria had implemented specific policies to strengthen the naira and preserve foreign reserves.
He said the administration was poised to sustain economic growth through transparent governance, which had led to a reduction of “cynicism” about government.
After the inauguration, the Federal Executive Council held its inaugural meeting.
Full list of ministers and their portfolios are as follows:
Kemi Adeosun (Ogun) – Finance
Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)–Transportation
Chris Ngige (Anambra)–Labour and Employment
Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)–Solid Minerals
Babatunde Fashola (Lagos)–Power, Works and Housing
Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano)–Interior
Aisha Alhassan (Taraba)–Women Affairs
Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi)–Science and Technology
Abubakar Malami (Kebbi)–Justice
Hadi Sirika (Katsina)–State for Aviation
Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa)–Water Resources
Solomon Dalong (Plateau)–Youths and Sports
Ibe Kachikwu (Delta)–State for Petroleum
Osagie Ehanire (Edo)–State for Health
Audu Ogbeh (Benue)–Agriculture
Udo Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom)–Budget and National Planning
Lai Mohammed (Kwara)–Information
Amina Mohammed (Gombe)–Environment
Ibrahim Usman Jibril (Nasarawa) — State for Environment
Anthony Nuka (Imo) – State for Education
Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa) — FCT
Adamu Adamu (Bauchi) — Education
Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia) – Industry, Trade and Investment
Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto) — State for Trade, Industry and Investment
Khadija Bukar Abba (Yobe) – State for Foreign Affairs
Claudius Daramola (Ondo) – State for Niger Delta
Geoffrey Onyeama (Enugu) — Foreign Affairs
Monsur Dan-Ali (Zamfara) — Defence
James Ocholi (Kogi) – State for Labour
Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna) – State for Budget and National Planning
Mustapha Shehuri (Borno) — State for Power
Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa)–State for Agriculture
Isaac Adewole Folorunsho (Osun) — Health
Usani Usani Uguru (Cross River) — Niger Delta
Abubakar Bwari Bawa (Niger) — State for Solid Minerals
Adebayo Shittu (Oyo) — Communications
Muhammadu Buhari — Petroleum
