Posted by ThisDay Online on
Chukwuemeka Chikelu
Chukwuemeka Chikelu knew on his appointment in 2003 that one major problem the Obasanjo administration faces is the bad image Nigeria has abroad.
The bad perception has robbed the nation of the so much desired foreign invesment. As a solution to the problem, Chikelu last year launched the 'Image Nigeria Project'. The rationale behind the project, is the need to use all media of mass communication to enlighten the world on Federal Government's effort to re-engineer Nigeria. The project is also being used to correct some impression and general belief about Nigerians and Nigeria which are not true.
In the same manner, the minister has come across as a smooth communicator passing the government's message to the people without being too overbeary.
Mallam Nasir el-Rufai
He is one minister who could be described as Mr Controversy. Shortly after being made minister in 2003 having successfully served as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), from 1999 to 2003, el-Rufai swung into action by embarking on major reforms of the FCT Ministry. In the cause of the reforms, the minister having examined Abuja master plan discovered that several sites for sewage plant and parks among others had been converted to residential purposes. To rectify the anomaly, el-Rufai embarked on demolition of houses believed to be built on sewage sites and other reserved areas. This action elicited public outcry as a lot of the demolished buildings belong to the high and mighty in the society including retired military officers and members of the National Assembly.
Still unperturbed by the public outcry, the minister ordered the withdrawal of all Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) so far issued by the FCT Ministry since its inception. Owners of such C of O were told to reapply for reissuance. Up till now, the step was taken to determine which of the land owners genuinely obtained his own certificate by complying with the procedures.
The minister again stirred the hornet's nest when he accused two principal officers of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu and Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Jonathan Zwingina of demanding N54 million bribe from him to enable them help him get Senate confirmation as a minister in 2003. The duo of Mantu and Zwingina publicly denied the bribery allegation and when el-Rufai was asked to produce any evidence to buttress his claim, he said, he had no evidence but was quick to swear by the Koran that his allegation was true.
From that point, the Senate had been looking for an opportunity to get back at el-Rufai. The opportunity did not take long in coming as the Senate accused the minister of paying his two aides fantastic salaries in violation of civil service salary structure. He was also accused of employing a female youth corper as aide and paying her over a million with naira as salary. Rather than replying to the allegations, el-Rufai only responded by saying "silence is the best answer for a fool' which the Senate leadership interpreted to mean that distinguished senators are fools.
This comment did not go down well with the Senate leadership which caused a letter to be written to President Olusegun Obasanjo demanding the immediate removal of el-Rufai. The Senate threatened that if the President failed to remove el-Rufai, they will not touch any executive bill before it. Obasanjo's plea with the Senate for understanding over the matter fell on deaf ears as the Senate insisted on el-Rufai's sack. Eventually, the minister who appeared before the Senate in the company of his colleagues including Finance Minister, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said he never meant to be rude to members of the Senate. He was later pardoned.
The architect in the FCT made the list of nominees for the minister of the year award because of the way he is trying to restore the Federal Capital to its original glory with boldness not minding whose ox is gored.
Adeseye Ogunlewe
By the time Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe assumed duties as Works Minister, most of the over 30,000 kilometres of federal roads across the country were crying for repairs.
In 2004, Ogunlewe embarked on Operation 500 Roads. Under this programme, 500 federal roads spread across the 36 states of the federation were identified for rehabilitation and reconstruction. For effect, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, which was earlier set up in 2003 was mandated to work with the Works Ministry for the repairs of the identified roads. Unlike in the past, most of the rehabilitated roads during the period under review became glaring for the public to see. In Lagos especially, emphasis was placed on the repairs of roads such as Ikorodu road, Lagos-Abeokuta expressway especially Oshodi bus stop, Olosa and Mushin bus stops and Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
Also in 2004, officials of FERMA and that of Lagos State Transport Management Agency, LASTMA had cause to clash which led to the withdrawal of LASTMA officials from federal roads in Lagos State. The incident led to exchange of words between Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State and Ogunlewe. It got to a level that the issue became politicised and leaders of thought and well-meaning Nigerians had to tell the duo to embrace peace in the interest of the populace.
Ogunlewe has also focused attention on roads in the South-east zone which had been one of the major complaints Igbos had against Obasanjo. And it is for these reasons that he is being nominated for the award of minister of the year.
One thing is however certain. What Ogunlewe's predecessor in office could not do in the first four years of Obasanjo's government, the minister has been able to do in about one and half years. At least this is evident on federal roads across the country.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Since her appointment in 2003, Okonjo-Iweala has embarked on some financial reforms in federal ministries, parastatals and agencies. The Finance Ministry now has a well-documented and painstakingly thorough record of financial disbursement to various government agencies and parastatals.
Unlike in the past when monies would be appropriated and only a fraction would be released, the new dispensation under Okonjo-Iweala has recorded a pleasant departure from the norm with the prompt and calculated release of funds for what they are meant for.
The minister's approach has also demystified government records which hitherto remained almost classified documents apparently because those who hid them from the general public had a thing or two to hide for obvious reasons. Now, it is all laid bare and actually accessible to anybody from anywhere at anytime.
As a leader of the President's economic team, Okonjo-Iweala had modified the formulation of a comprehensive economic policy document which can help the government in some years to come.
The document is called National Economic Empowerment Development Scheme (NEEDS).
Her aggressive moves to combat corruption in government has earned her an honour by Time International magazine.
These remarkable and laudable changes are credits which earned Okonjo-Iweala a place in this award nomination list.
Dr. Abiye Precious Sekibo
Dr. Abiye Precious Sekibo, Transport Minister assumed office in 2003 at a time when the issue at stake was on reform in the maritime sector.
Rather than come up with new programmes of development, what Sekibo did was simply to consolidate on the efforts of his predecessor.
At that time, the port concessioning of the government had run into a halt as labour went to court to stop government from going on with the exercise.
Sekibo was able to convince labour on the gains of the reform. Since then the port concessioning has progressed until the Minister made it clear that about 10,000 workers of the NPA may lose their jobs in the exercise. Labour again protested and the response of the government was to set up a Presidential Task Force on Port Reform to look at labour issues, among others.
Sekibo has always stressed the need for an efficient transport system in the country. This, he believes is realizable provided there is a positive partnership between both private and public sectors. Sekibo believes that this will enable Nigeria to achieve its desired vision of an affordable, efficient, modern and sustainable intermodal transportation network which would in turn impact positively on the ebb and flow of wealth creation in the country.
Under his leadership, the nation's ports have complied with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) security standards at the ports which is mandatory for all maritime nations. Nations which failed to comply stood the risk of having ships from other nations boycotting their ports. Nigeria was acknowledged and commended by the IMO as one of the nations that complied with the security regulations as at July last year.
In June last year, the Minister flagged off the guidelines on cabotage shipping implementation, a policy which reserves inland marine services to indigenous shipping companies, except in a situation where they fall short of capacity. Although, the policy was not initiated by Sekibo, he has all the same been commended for ensuring its implementation.
However, under this policy, indigenous shipping companies are yet to enjoy the full benefits of the regime, as they complain that foreign firms even without waivers have their ships hanging around at the nation's territorial waters and taking over the jobs that should go to local firms. They have accused the Transport Ministry of failing to check these foreign firms.
Other projects which Sekibo has been planning to execute but which were not started by him include the River ports projects in the country, about six of them. There is also the dredging of the Calabar port, a project which the Minister has been reluctant in executing because it is capital intensive. Calabar port dredging contract has however been awarded.
Another project is the Inland Container Depots (ICDs) to be established in six geo-political zones in the country. The ICDs which are dry ports is another government policy of taking the ports closer to the people.
One thing critics have said against Sekibo is that he is yet to come up with his own development initiative as far as maritime transport is concerned.
Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari
He is a returnee minister having served in the same ministry during President Olusegun Obasanjo's first term. The Federal Government had initially set the year 2000 as target date for providing potable water for Nigerians. Although the target date has not been realistic, Shagari, one of the ministers that is close and has the ears of Obasanjo, is however executing with vigour government's plan to provide motorised boreholes across the country. And the impact of his efforts is being felt more in the rural or semi-urban areas across the country.
The minister still has a lot to do especially in ensuring that potable water is within the reach of an average Nigerians before the end of Obasanjo's tenure in 2007.