By Eric Teniola

From last week continues the list of names of those who attended the retreat convened by President Obasanjo in 1999/2001 to resolve the conflict between ministers, ministers of state and permanent secretaries.

THE other Ministers at the retreat were Mr. Garba Madaki Ali, Minister of State, Transport; Mr. Yomi Edu, Minister of State, Special Duties, The Presidency; Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Kida, Minister of State, Inter-Governmental Affairs, The Presidency; Chief Kolawole B. Jamodu, Minister of Industry; Professor Jerry Gana, Minister of Information and National Orientation; Dr. Mohammed Shata, Minister of State, Internal Affairs; Mr. Steven Ibn Akiga, Minister of Police Affairs; Alhaji Danjuma Goje, Minister of State, Power and Steel; Mrs. Pauline K-Tallen, Minister of State, Science and Technology; Mr. Ishaya Mark Aku, Minister of Sports and Social Development; Mr. Isa Yuguda, Minister of State, Transport; Chief Precious Ngelale (JP) Minister of State, Water Resources; Chief Tony Anenih, Minister of Works and Housing; Chief Bimbola Ogunkelu, Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa; Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Minister of State, Economic Matters, The Presidency; and Chief Phillip Asiodu, Chief Economic Adviser and Vice Chairman, National Planning Commission. 

At the end of the retreat, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette, read out a communiqué on harmonising the Functions of Ministers and Minister of State. He declared: “At the inception of this administration, Mr. President in consonance with Section 148 of the 1999 Constitution, assigned responsibilities to Honourable Ministers, Ministers of State, Special Advisers, etc. The exercise was to ensure that every Minister had well spelt out functions and that by each focusing on specific areas, achieving the goals of Government would be accelerated.

It was never meant to split a Ministry into two functional(or, in extreme cases, factional) units, making cohesion and mobilisation of available resources for effective execution of mandate of Ministries impossible to achieve. Ministries must be run as single units, and both Ministers must be aware of every detail of their operations. At both Second and Third Retreats we recognised that the recurring issues of inter-personal relationship between Ministers, Ministers of State and Permanent Secretaries is a question of human relationship and urged participants to draw from the example of the relationship between Mr. President and Vice President and the other Principal officers in the Presidency and use that as a model”. 

Since then, the conflict between Ministers and Ministers of State is yet to be resolved and worse still, they have a joint Permanent Secretary. 

At present, the following are Federal Ministries—Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, Ministry of Niger Delta, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Special Duties, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Health, Ministry for Budget; Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Works and Housing, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Police Affairs and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development 

The 1999 Constitution empowers the President to nominate a Minister from each state as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Since we have 30 Ministries, what the President should do is to upgrade seven Ministries for special duties. We don’t want a situation where someone will be classified a super human being with three Ministries attached to him with cabinet rank, while others will be classified as mere Ministers of State. 

 There is nowhere in the 1999 Constitution where a minister is designated Minister of State. Ministers of State are suffering in silence in spite of their schedule of responsibilities. They feel dehumanised and inferior. Their agony should be avoided.

Moreover, we should stop the current procedure of appointing six Ministers to represent the six geographical zones in the country. It makes the Cabinet to be too large and uncontrollable. Zones are not recognised in the Constitution. 

Expectedly, the issue of appointments has split the caucus of President-elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.  One hopes that the split will not deepen further. It happens always when sharing the spoils of war. It is inevitable given the circumstances of his victory in the Presidential election which is still in dispute. 

Sharing the spoils of war is in fact more difficult than winning the war. The President- elect, I am sure, knows what to do; for you do not teach an old dog new tricks. He should however note that his choice of appointments will no doubt shape his Presidency. He should be reminded constantly that the fate of his Presidency is still in court. He should learn from two examples: Namibia and Kenya, where the courts have removed the incumbent Presidents.

Amiru Sanusi, Justice John Okoro, Justice Ejembi Eko and Justice Uwuni Abba Aji. 

Even before the Supreme Court gives final ruling, after inauguration on Monday, May 29, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has enough time to show his credentials to this country that he truly deserves to be the President.

To be continued…