Ngelale Clears View on Mismatch Ministers
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has dismissed claims that some of the recently sworn-in ministers are not suited for their given ministries, calling such claims exaggerated.
Ngelale stated this on Tuesday during his appearance on Channels Television’s Business Morning.
He said, “The notion that there has not been some sort of a link between some of the nominees and the various sectors they will now be overseeing, I think is a bit overblown,” Ngelale said
“I think sometimes there is a tendency on the part of some public analysts to oversimplify the general backgrounds of some certain nominees.”
Recall that President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the 45 new ministers on Monday at the State House.
Ngelale addressed complaints over Tinubu’s selection of Festus Keyamo for the position of Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, among other things.
Keyamo might not have ever been a pilot or a captain, the presidential adviser admitted. But he asserted that everybody familiar with the details of the aviation sector is aware of the crucial role that regulation and policy play in the efficient running of that sector.
“We talk about aviation safety, flight safety, civil aviation safety. All of this has to do with how strong your legal foundations are; that there are effective regulations crafted to oversight that sector,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s any better legal mind in the cabinet to be able to oversee any review of the policy regulations that will be undergirding the aviation sector moving forward.”
Ngelale who described Keyamo as a “no-nonsense individual”, noted that the minister will not be quiet or look the other way in the face of sharp practices.
“It’s not just a matter of professional background. That’s part of it but the other part of it is personality, who you are and what your tendencies are,” he said.
“We believe he’s going to do a fantastic job and we believe that his legal profession [and] background is going to suit him very well.”
Speaking about the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, the presidential spokesman said he possessed decades’ worth of experience in the insurance industry, including setting up his establishment.
“He dealt quite extensively with the shipping industry, for example,” the presidential aide added.
Ngelale claims that Atiku Bagudu, the minister of economic planning and budget, also fits his mandate.
He highlighted the former governor of Kebbi State’s experience at the World Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as well as his academic accomplishments, which included a bachelor’s in finance and a master’s in economic management from Columbia University in New York.
“Across the board, you are going to find how the professional backgrounds and the academic backgrounds of all nominees and now fully sworn-in ministers will suit the agenda of Mr President very well, in terms of policy execution implementation,” he added.
