President Bola Tinubu has urged the newly appointed ministers to regard their roles as a call to service.
He made this statement on Monday at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja during the swearing-in ceremony for seven ministers who have joined the cabinet.
Tinubu expressed his gratitude for their willingness to serve, emphasizing that their acceptance of these positions represents a “very serious commitment.”
“The moment is challenging. The present situation calls for a very serious commitment. Yours is a duty to serve and that is what you’ve got to do,” Tinubu said at the event.
“I really appreciate the fact that you have taken the oath of office and are ready to serve your nation at the time we are facing the challenges of economic growth and other items like security challenges and others.
“It is not easy to find just the unique people that will surrender their lives, freedoms, and other responsibilities to serve their nation anytime in this time of challenges. I am sincerely happy that you have done that and that you are here today to be part to be a very committed team of Nigerians who have been working tirelessly since 17 months ago that we assumed the responsibility of governing this country. You are called upon to join the team to rescue this country.”
Those sworn in include Nentawe Yilwatda as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi as the Minister of Labour and Employment; and Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Other appointees are Jumoke Oduwole (Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment), Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Minister of Livestock Development), Yusuf Abdullahi Ata (Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development), and Suwaiba Said Ahmad as the Minister of State for Education.
The swearing-in ceremony occurred a few weeks after Tinubu nominated them as ministers. Their names were promptly forwarded to the Senate, which screened and confirmed their nominations.
As part of his cabinet reshuffle, Tinubu also dismissed five ministers and reallocated portfolios to ten others.