By Adedapo Adesanya
Investors are set to know where they stand when President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurates the 43 minister designates confirmed by the Ninth Senate to their respective portfolios on August 21.
The President’s list showed that 14 former ministers were retained and expected to form part of his executive cabinet for the second term.
The returnee ministers are Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Hadi Sirika (Katsina), Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna), Lai Mohammed (Kwara), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Adamu Adamu (Bauchi), Abubakar Malami (Kebbi), Godfrey Onyeama (Enugu), Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi), Osagie Enahire (Edo), Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa), Mohammed Bello (Adamawa) and Mustapha Shehuri (Borno).
It is however, a cause of concern for those seeking to invest in the country as to how these designates will fare in whatever portfolio they find themselves and if there will core changes to those who previously held the positions.
For core ministries of interest like Finance, which have former ministers like Zainab Ahmed; Labour and Employment (Chris Ngige); Transportation (Rotimi Amaechi); Power, Works, and Housing (Babatunde Fashola), returning, all eyes are on the President to see if there will be an upturn to see who fits into where.
However, for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development which was formerly headed by Mr Audu Ogbeh, there is no clear cut who will head the ministry following the absence of the former minister from the President’s list.
For new entrants like Olamilekan Adegbite (Ogun State) who was Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in the state, there is a possibility that he will be replacing Suleiman Hassan, one of the two state ministers for power alongside Mustapha Shehuri who was on the ministerial list.
For the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, who would not be returning, Sharon Ikeazor (Anambra State) who is currently the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, seems like a likely candidate to head the ministry responsible for providing policy advice to the President in particular and Nigeria in general on all spheres of national life.
Former governors who will be part of the president’s ministerial team include: Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), George Akume (Benue), and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun).
The list further includes Adeniyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Paulen Tallen, a former Minister of State for Science and Technology and former deputy governor of Plateau State, Ali Pantami (Gombe State), who is currently the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency. Ambassador Maryam Katagun (Bauchi State), who is currently serving as Nigeria’s Permanent Delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Also expected to become ministers are Sunday Dare (Oyo State), who is currently the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management) of the Nigerian Communications Commission; Sadiya Umar Faruk (Zamfara State), the current Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, and Ramatu Tijjani from Kogi State, who is a former foreign national women leader of the ruling APC.
Others named are Adeleke Mamora (Lagos State); Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo State); Emeka Nwajiuba (Imo State), and Gbemisola Saraki from Kwara State.
Modupe Gbadeyanka