Thursday, November 1, 2012

Jonathan Swaps Ministers; Abati's Laughable Comments

ABUJA—President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, directed that Mr. Daiurus Ishaku, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs and his Ministry of Power counterpart, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, swap positions.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, who disclosed this after the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, said the change was geared toward strengthening the sectors to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
Under the President’s directives, Mr. Ishaku becomes the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, while Hajia Kuchi becomes Minister of State Power. The changes take effect from next week.
Other directives given by the President, according to Dr. Abati, who joined the Ministers of Works, Information Communication and Minister of State, FCT, to address state house correspondents, was that no fresh memos for contracts will be accepted by Council after November 30.
The date becomes deadline for the submission of any memo under the 2012 budget.
On alleged power drop
Asked whether the decision to swap the minister had anything to do with the perception that the power situation in the country had worsened since the former Minister of Power left the cabinet, Abati said: “I am not aware that there has been a drop in the supply of electricity.
“If anything, the testimony that we get from ordinary Nigerians, from people who use electricity, is that there has been an increase.
“In fact, in many parts of the country, people now enjoy electricity supply for many long hours of the day and for this the government has been commended.”
Meanwhile, Federal Executive Council, yesterday, approved contracts worth N2 billion for projects in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, who briefed state house correspondents at the end of the meeting, said the projects included the construction of a 220-bed general hospital for Gwarimpa district in Abuja and headquarters of the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.

Source: Vanguard Nigeria

No comments:

Post a Comment