In a resolute stance, Ajuri Ngelale, the special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on media and publicity, has made it clear that the President is unwavering when it comes to holding his cabinet members accountable for their performance. Ngelale’s comments came during a recent appearance on the Channels Television program, Sunrise Daily.
Following the inauguration of his 45-member cabinet on August 21, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of realizing his ambitious “renewed hope” agenda. Ngelale revealed that each minister has been provided with clear benchmarks and specified timelines to meet their goals. Failure to meet these expectations could result in their removal from the cabinet.
According to Ngelale, President Tinubu’s approach is straightforward and result-oriented. “President Bola Tinubu is someone who has the results. He says, ‘these are your benchmarks, I know what I want you to achieve, I’m not expecting you to just come up with some plan when you get there. I’m telling you the time frame within which I expect you to achieve,'” Ngelale stated.
The special adviser emphasized that President Tinubu is ready to take swift action if ministers fail to deliver on their commitments. “He’s ready to fire a minister at the drop of a dime if he is not getting what he wants. Absolutely,” Ngelale affirmed.
Ngelale also shed light on the reasoning behind the appointment of a significant number of ministers. He explained that President Tinubu values specialization as a means to enhance performance. “In his view, there was an urgent need for hands-on specialization in the federal government,” Ngelale remarked.
He further elaborated on the strategic placement of ministers to address specific areas of expertise. For instance, Ngelale highlighted the case of Musa Dangiwa, whose experience in reforming the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria uniquely positions him for the housing sector. This specialized approach enables ministers to focus solely on their designated areas without the distractions of unrelated responsibilities.
“The president said if I am going to put a minister in place who has a sole focus, there is no excuse for failure,” Ngelale clarified. This targeted strategy not only ensures efficient governance but also holds each minister accountable for their individual responsibilities.
