Tinubu Charges New Ministers: Join the Rescue Mission to Revitalize Nigeria

Tinubu Charges New Ministers: Join the Rescue Mission to Revitalize Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has urged the newly appointed ministers to join forces with his administration to rescue Nigeria from its current economic and social challenges. The President emphasized the importance of service, stating, "Service is the hallmark of this human endeavour; you are being called upon to serve" .

During the swearing-in ceremony of seven new ministers in Abuja, Tinubu expressed optimism about Nigeria's economic recovery, saying, "Economic recovery is on the horizon." He acknowledged the challenges Nigerians face, including a high cost of living, but highlighted progress in paying the new minimum wage and reducing debt servicing from 97% to 65% of revenue .

The new ministers sworn in include:

- __Nentawe Yilwatda__, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction

- __Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi__, Minister of Labour & Employment

- __Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu__, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

- __Jumoke Oduwole__, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment (Trade and Investment)

- __Idi Mukhtar Maiha__, Minister of Livestock Development

- __Yusuf Ata__, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development

- __Suwaiba Ahmad__, Minister of State for Education

Tinubu thanked the National Assembly for their efficient review and approval of the new ministers. In her remarks, Ms. Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for her appointment and reaffirmed her commitment to aligning with the government's foreign policy objectives.

Ms. Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized the importance of leveraging the creative potential, skills, and capital of young Nigerians and the Diaspora to enhance service delivery. She highlighted the significant contribution of the Diaspora, which remitted $22 billion annually, and suggested partnering with them to forge strategic relationships with global financial institutions .

Meanwhile, Jumoke Oduwole acknowledged President Tinubu's trade and investment agenda, stressing the need to optimize the African Continental Free Trade Area for Nigerian businesses and retain domestic investment while aggressively attracting new investments .

This development comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with its worst cost of living crisis in nearly 30 years, with inflation surging to 34.19% by June 2024 . The World Bank has praised Nigeria's macroeconomic reforms, citing modest growth and improved fiscal health, but emphasizes the need to sustain these policies while addressing structural issues to combat inflation and promote long-term investment, growth, and job creation .