CEM REPORT, GOVERNANCE | The presidency has affirmed its commitment to deliver on its renewed hope agenda with a stern charge to all ministries, departments, and agencies not to give excuses but to deliver.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stressed that he and his administration must succeed in delivering the expectations of Nigerians who voted him into office.
Tinubu stated that he came into office to serve all Nigerians irrespective of their political, tribal, or religious affiliations. He further described Nigeria as one big house partitioned into several rooms.
The president asserted on Wednesday at the opening of a three-day retreat with the theme, ‘Delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda’, organized for ministers, presidential aides, permanent secretaries, and top government officials at the State House, Abuja.
He stated to all attendees “You are here to help me succeed.”
“I’m here to give direction to this family making sure the relationship is stronger by giving hope to our people,” he said.
Tinubu went on to announce to ministers that they would be signing a performance bond at the end of the ongoing three-day retreat, adding; “If you’re performing, nothing to fear. If you’re not performing, we review and if you cannot perform, you leave us.”
Free Hand to Work
He quickly assured the ministers of a free hand to carry out their responsibilities, noting that he had selected the best in various spheres the nation could offer. He further admonished them to give Nigerians hope.
He further emphasized that ”we can’t complain and give excuses. It is our country, and we have to give hope to the near hopeless, to the Nigerians in doubt whether our economic policies are the right way to success.”
The President said he has taken the last six months to assess the country and urged them to use the opportunity to change things.
“Don’t be afraid to make decisions, you have a free hand, but you must be intellectually inquisitive.
“We can see the chaos, but don’t be afraid, don’t look at the sky, be focused.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu humbly said he is a human and subjetable to mistakes, aptly noting that when such errors are brought to his knowledge, he will immediately correct them.
He expressed confidence in rebuilding the nation despite the series of challenges before it, assuring that his administration would transform the economy and take 50 million out of poverty.
He further urged his ministers and other attendees to work together to fight corruption.
“It is our country. We have no other one. We can fight to make democracy work.
”I believe in Nigeria; don’t invite any foreigner to give me lectures about governance, I have been through it.
“Don’t be wicked. We must agree that we will overcome corruption.
”Make Nigerians included, don’t be selfish about it, poverty is not a shameful thing, but let us work and abandon it.”
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He also called on them to help him succeed.
With all the cameras set to close-ups focused on the presidency, especially against its recent moves per sending, Nigerians might be in for a show. How this will play out over the next three years will tell.
However, while it seems like the words and actions of the presidency might seem contradictory. His spending action will earn a righteous justification if it can recuperate funds through profit and not loans in the near future. Also, these funds can not be appreciated if it turns the economy of the nation into a more sustainable and profitable environment.
Ministers and other departments and agencies heads obviously have their work cut out for them, the scepticism is if they can deliver before the end of their tenor. Although they represent the best as the president said, the challenge usually is the bureaucracy and bottlenecks in performing their duties.
While the President has given a free hand to work, they will still need to relate with other agencies. In the Buhari administration, there was tension between the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education over who should settle the ASSU rift. Let’s not forget the job description clarity saga between the EFCC and ICPC.
Nigerians can only be hopeful for “a renewed hope”
