Ministerial Inauguration: Lai Moh’d, Gbemi get Information, Transportation portfolios

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, sworn-in 43 ministers at the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, charging them to positively impact on Nigerians.
Among the ministers were two Kwarans; Alhaji Lai Mohammed from Irepodun Local Government Area of the state and Sen. Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara Central).
While Lai Mohammed retained his portfolio as the Minister of Information and Culture, Gbemi Saraki was handed the Minister of State for Transportation. They will work closely with former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi who was named the Minister of Transportation.
Meanwhile, President Buhari remains in charge of the petroleum ministry as he announced Timipre Sylva minister of state for petroleum.
Aside Mohammed, Chris Ngige (Labour), Mohammed Bello (Federal Capital Territory) and Rotimi Amaechi are among the 10 ministers who retained their portfolios.
Godswill Akpabio was appointed minister of Niger Delta affairs; Festus Keyamo, minister of state for Niger Delta; Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior.
The president assigned portfolios to his ministers after swearing them in at the council chamber of the presidential villa in Abuja.
National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole and a chieftain of the ruling party, Bisi Akande were among those who attended the programme.
Meanwhile, Babatunde Fashola will no longer be the minister of power.
Fashola, who is the former governor of Lagos State, was previously the minister of power, works and housing.
Announcing the ministerial portfolio on Wednesday at the swearing-in ceremony for ministers-designate, President Muhammadu Buhari announced that Saleh Mamman will now be the minister of power.
Babatunde Fashola was announced as the minister of works and housing.
At Fashola’s ministerial screening, Rochas Okorocha, former Imo governor, said the former started having grey hairs when he was handed three ministries.
Okorocha, who is now representing Imo west at the senate, said the three ministries are too large to be handled by one person.
“I thought the three ministries are too large to be handled by one person. Look at my friend now. He is having grey hairs at a young age,” he said.
When asked how much fund the power sector required to ensure stable electricity, Fashola had said: “I’ve already addressed the issue of funding as our major challenge. My suggestion is that we should raise an infrastructure fund where Nigerians can contribute their money”.

…I don’t know much about interior ministry  – Aregbesola

The newly appointed minister of interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has said he does not know much about the ministry beyond what he has read in the newspapers.
The minister, who alongside 42 others was inaugurated yesterday, said this when he visited the ministry.
Addressing officials, Aregbesola admitted that he had no idea of the ministry’s policies and operations, and he instructed Georgina Ehuriah, the ministry’s permanent secretary, to run the affairs of the ministry till Monday when he will resume.
“My relationship with the ministry is distant. What I know about the ministry is what I read in the newspapers,” he said.
“I will come to take over on Monday. I give the permanent secretary the grace to run the ministry till then. We will be ready by Monday to take on the huge assignment.”
Aregbesola, who served two terms as governor of Osun, assured the officials of a purposeful leadership under him.
He also urged them to be ready for more work as he will be demanding much more from them.
Welcoming the minister, Ehuriah said the ministry needed a focused person like Aregbesola to lead it because of its strategic position in the security architecture of the country.
She added that the formal handover ceremony will take place on Monday.
President Muhammadu Buhari did not attach portfolios when he sent the list of his ministerial nominees to the senate, and most were screened by the senate without any particular ministry in view.
Twenty minutes after inauguration, Aregbesola updated his Twitter profile to reflect his new position.

…make your presence felt, emulate Saraki, PDP tells Kwara ministers

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), has congratulated the newly inaugurated ministers from the state, Alh. Lai Mohammed and Senator Gbemisola Saraki charging them to emulate the immediate past Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki by impacting positively on Kwarans.
In a statement by its state Chairman, Engr. Kola Shittu, the PDP charged the new ministers to make their presence in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) felt by offering quality and selfless service to the people of Nigeria, noting that this “is the only way they can make Kwara proud.”
The Kwara PDP noted that while in office, Saraki meritoriously served his constituents and used his influence to attract meaningful developments not only to his constituency but other parts of Kwara, just as he also facilitated numerous job opportunities for people of the state.
“It is, therefore, our hope that the new ministers will emulate Saraki and do more for the people of Kwara State.
“We once again felicitate with Senator Gbemisola Saraki and Alhaji Lai Mohammed on their inauguration as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and wish them all the best in their new assignments.”