Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to dismiss additional underperforming ministers to accelerate the execution of his “Renewed Hope” agenda for Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, Ndume welcomed the recent reshuffling of the federal cabinet, including the creation of the Ministry of Regional Development to manage regional commissions across the country. However, he emphasized the need for more decisive actions, stating, “Some ministers are still missing in action.”
This comes after President Tinubu’s announcement on Wednesday of a cabinet reshuffle that saw six ministers dismissed, seven new ones appointed, and portfolio changes for ten others.
The former Senate Chief Whip also urged the president to convene a national economic summit aimed at addressing the country’s economic challenges with home-grown solutions. Ndume proposed that distinguished Nigerians, including former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former education minister Oby Ezekwesili, Mansur Muktar, Akinwumi Adesina, Aruma Oteh, and economist Tope Fasua, should spearhead the summit.
He said, “This national economic summit should be led by these eminent Nigerians. They can provide recommendations that are more suitable for our situation, rather than relying on the harsh prescriptions from the IMF and World Bank, which are tough on ordinary citizens.”
Ndume expressed confidence that if solid recommendations emerge from the summit, President Tinubu would act on them, which, in turn, could bring significant relief to the country’s economic woes.
He also praised President Tinubu’s efforts to cut down on the cost of governance during these difficult economic times and urged other branches of government to follow suit in reducing unnecessary expenditures.
