President Bola Tinubu has hinted on plans to relieve underperforming ministers of their duties in the coming weeks.
President Tinubu had asked the ministers to present their scorecard to Nigerians as part of activities to mark his first year in office.
Many Nigerians had said that the president would use that as a yardstick to either retain or relieve these ministers of their positions.
Confirming this position, President Tinubu declared at a meeting with leaders of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at the villa on Thursday evening that appointees who have performed subpar would be shown the door.
“I thank the cabinet members for their efforts, but I will relieve any of them of their duties anytime I feel that they are failing Nigerians,” Tinubu said.
The president appealed to state governments to prioritize the needs of local communities by ensuring accountability and effectiveness in the administration of local governments.
“I will appeal to you to summon the governors. I am doing my very best to enhance the revenue base of the country. They must equally be sympathetic, and they must urgently consider the needs of the local people.
“People reside in the local communities. That is where they work, farm, and live. If the local governments are not effective in delivering services; as leaders, we must not hang on to the numbers.
“Maybe we should look at recalibrating. What was good four years ago may not be good today. When we want the votes, we go to the locals; when we get the votes, we move to and focus on Abuja,” he said.
Speaking on the significance of education in nation-building, Tinubu described the situation of out-of-school children in parts of Nigeria as unacceptable.
“The question of out-of-school children is unacceptable. Education is a tool against poverty, and that is what brought many of us here. We must use our education to serve the people and improve their conditions. We must develop the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, which is the education system. We will collaborate with you on this intensively.
“We are still building Nigeria, and I am glad that you have emphasized the need for development. The infrastructure decay is unacceptable, and the level of poverty in the north is unacceptable. We must eliminate the source of these trends,” Tinubu said.
On security, President Tinubu said: “Everybody wants to be secure, and we need to invest more in technology. We will do it, I promise you. We will put our heart and soul into ensuring that Nigeria is secure and its citizens are protected.”
He continued: ”As long as we are together, and we have to be together, there is strength in our diversity. Our strength and opportunity are built into our population. I thank the cabinet members for their efforts, but I will relieve any of them of their duties anytime I feel that they are failing Nigerians.”
Leader of the delegation and Chairman, Board of Trustees of ACF, Barrister Bashir Dalhatu, congratulated President Tinubu on his first year in office and expressed the Forum’s appreciation for his achievements and service to the country.
