Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, swore in two ministers on Wednesday, asking them to lead by example.
The new ministers are Stephen Ocheni from Kogi State and Suleiman Hassan from Gombe State.
Their portfolios were, however, not announced.
Speaking after the two ministers were sworn in, Osinbajo declared that the federal government was committed to reforming the country in general.
He therefore urged the new ministers to be part of the reform agenda aimed at turning around the Nigerian economy and making life better for the people of the country.
His words: “That reform programme is contained in our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. We have focused our attention on key areas of that economic recovery plan and we believe these key areas are things that need to be done to make a difference in the Nigerian economy and in the lives of Nigerians.
“Time and time again we have continued to emphasise the need for ministers to pay particular attention to all the areas that we have highlighted in the economic plan.
“President Muhammadu Buhari decided to task ministers with specific functions and so we expect our new ministers to be part of this herculean task in turning around the Nigerian economy and making life better for the citizens,” he said.
He also stressed that very important to the government was the issue of security and the war against corruption.
According to him, “We expect that members of the federal executive council will focus on these key areas as well. We have of course made tremendous progress in security, we have issues and challenges here and there, but these, compared to where we are coming from, are very minor indeed and we are tackling them on a day by day basis.”
Osinbajo said the ministers as well as other government appointees should conduct themselves well.
“Even as I welcome you to this cabinet, I congratulate friends and family who are here and I can only say going by your antecedents as contained in your resume read out, it is evident that you are deserving of positions held in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that you are capable of rendering all the task that will given to you.
“The only reward is more hard work and I wish you the best as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
It would be recalled that Stephen Ocheni from Kogi State replaces the late James Ocholi, who died in a car accident along Abuja – Kaduna Expressway while Suleiman Hassan from Gombe State replaces Amina Mohammed who was appointed the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations.
