Yemi Adebowale
President Muhammadu Buhari’s new ministers will not have a retinue of aides, protocol and large convoys, one of the minister-designates has disclosed.
Chris Ngige, a former governor of Anambra state, linked the cutting down on retinue to “lean economy”.
“Yes, lean economy because we are going to block areas of leakages. Retinue of aides, protocol staff, large convoys of cars are things that will not fly in this administration,” he said.
His comments came at the end of a two-day retreat for the new ministers organised by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Fielding questions from journalists, Ngige, also stated that it was not a problem if a minister had no portfolio in the administration of President Buhari.
According to him, it is one single cabinet and all ministers have a right to discuss issues around ministries.
“No, no, no. If you have portfolio, if you don’t have portfolio, it is one single federal executive council. You bring whatever it is on the table. That is not a problem at all. We have a right to discuss things around the ministries because it is one single cabinet.
“The important thing is that we want to move our people from where they are now, they are in abject poverty which concerns about 75 percent of the populace. So, we need to actually restructure the political and social moment of the country, and that is what we are going to do. That means poverty will reduce,” Ngige said.
__________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2015 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
