Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
The much anticipated cabinet reshuffle took place Wednesday with the removal of the Minister of Education, Mrs. Nora Chinwe Obaji, and the redeployment of the Ministers of Finance, Solid Minerals Development and Foreign Affairs, Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala, Obiageli Ezekwesili and Ambassador Olu Adeniji, respectively.
•Okonjo-Iweala, Ezekwesili, Adeniji moved
•Obaji dropped, Fani-Kayode heads Culture and Tourism
The much anticipated cabinet reshuffle took place Wednesday with the removal of the Minister of Education, Mrs. Nora Chinwe Obaji, and the redeployment of the Ministers of Finance, Solid Minerals Development and Foreign Affairs, Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala, Obiageli Ezekwesili and Ambassador Olu Adeniji, respectively.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, who announced the changes during the swearing-in ceremony of five new ministers said that Okonjo-Iweala has been moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance (state), Nenadi Usman, takes over as the Minister of Finance; Ambassador Adeniji takes charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Obi Ezekwesili takes over the Ministry of Education as Minister.
He added that the Minister of State for Education, Grace Ogwuche, has been redeployed to the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs as full minister. No reason has, however, been given for the sack of the former Minister of Education.
Announcing portfolios for the new ministers, the President who emphasized that his administration that has been 'leading a liberation struggle" needed 'to continue to move forward so that we cover substantial distance before the change of baton", said that Femi Fani-Kayode would henceforth take charge of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as Minister; Bala Kaoje (Sports); Elias Mbam (state for Finance); Sayyadi Ruma (state for Education)and Salome Jankada (state for Water Resources).
He, however, stated that Okonjo-Iweala remained the chairperson of the Economic Management Team and would continue to carry out oversight responsibilities for the nation's external financial institutions and transactions, just as Ezekwesili will continue to oversee the Ministry of Solid Minerals while FCT Minister, Nasir el-Rufai will similarly supervise the ministry of Commerce until the two ministerial nominees are cleared by the Senate.
In his remarks shortly after swearing in the new ministers and announcing the cabinet change, President Obasanjo declared that: 'With determination we have to continue to wage the liberation struggle. Liberation from those things that have not worked in the past. Liberation struggle from those things that have not helped this country. Liberation from the cabal that has held this country to ransom in the past. It is a liberation struggle and victory which is so close, will be achieved".
While emphasizing that his administration is 'in the mid-way of the land of transformation" and has 'made some substantial progress", the President noted that: 'We still have a lot do to do in the time that we have left ahead of us. And there is no time to waste. Where did we start from? We started form the jungle of business as usual, anything goes. The morass of corruption and not many of the parastatals that we had were working. Where are we today? I would say that we are probably in the mid-way of the land of transformation.
'But we must also bear in mind that there are many who would want to go back to Egypt. God forbid. That is why we need to make sure that we continue to work as hard as we have ever done or in fact harder at this stage. What brought us here? I would say that it is the love of reforms and the anticipated gains and benefits and transformation brought us here. And that is why I am saying that we cannot rest on our oars even though we have made some substantial progress".
President Obasanjo also added that 'we have to keep on going because our destination is the land flowing with milk and honey. We have had obstacles in getting there and we are going to have obstacles as we go along. In fact, the faster that we try to move, and the closer we get to the point of change of baton, I believe the more obstacles that we will get. But no amount of obstacles in our way, by the grace of God, we will not be able to surmount."