I'm compelled to write this piece not to spite President Muhammadu Buhari but to cure his misconception of ministers. Earlier today, Mr President was quoted to have made a statement that suggest that ministers are not to relevant in the running of government. According to President Buhari

“The ministers are there, I think, to make a lot of noise; for the politicians to make a lot of noise. But the work is being done by the technocrats. They are there; they have to provide the continuity, dig into the records and then guide us, [those of us] who are just coming in.

“They have been there, some of them for 15 years, some for 20 years. So I think this question of ministers is political. People from different constituencies want to see their people directly in government, and see what they can get out of it.”

UNDERSTANDING Ministers and Civil Servants Roles:
Ministers:
Firstly, we have to appreciate the purpose of ministers of the federation. We all we agree that all political parties and candidates standing for elections come with their own program and agenda. These programs are highlighted in their respective document called their Manifesto. The Manifesto is usually in concordance with the overall ideology of the respective parties. When a party's Presidential candidate get elected, he assemble a team of men and women of intellectual standing and believers of his vision to help formulate policies, supervise implementations and defend these policies before the public to actualise the vision and fulfil the President's electoral programs. These group of people are called Ministers. The loyalty of the ministers are to the occupant of the President's office, the country and in most cases the ruling party. Ministers sit and deliberate on policy issues and strategy with the president

Civil Servants:
Every country have a workforce that carry out day-2-day activities of the government in power. We all agree that it is impossible for every government to come on board with their own workforce every 4-8years, hence the country provide for a 'permanent' workforce that will work with every administration. This workforce is called the Civil Service. They are non-partisan career people. They are not to help any political party or candidate formulate policies but are to work with every ruling party and administration to IMPLEMENT policies. They are technocrats and bureaucrats. Their loyalty is not to the ruling party or individual in power but to the "Office of the President" and the Country. They have NO business deliberating on policy issues and strategy with the president or his party. They only take instruction. Let's see a case study...

Case Study: Petroleum Ministry
In the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, there is the Minister, the Permanent Secretary and career Civil Servants, and other agencies and department (eg NNPC, PPPRA etc) under the ministry.

The Minister sit with the President to formulate policies and programs for the sector in line with the President's agenda. S/he prepares budget for the ministry, see to the implementation of this program/policies (supervision) and is answerable to the President, the party and the public. Statutorily, S/he is the Chairperson of the NNPC. She also supervises other department and agencies under her ministry on behalf of the President.


The Permanent Secretary is the Account officer of the ministry and most senior civil servant(rank) in the ministry. S/he is responsible for the implementation of the Minister's policies/program. S/he is the head of the ministerial tender board BUT any contract approved by the board has to be countersigned by the minister (to ensure that they are in tune with the Minister's/President's agenda). He/she is not a member of the Cabinet, neither can S/he replace the minister as the Chairperson of NNPC except S/he resigns and is appointed minister thereafter.


The roles of the minister and permanent secretary are distinct and straight forward. The importance of ministers cannot be over-emphasised. It is instructive to note that Nigeria is not an isolated case when it comes to ministers/permanent secretaries. The United States for instance have Under-Secretaries, which is Nigeria equivalent of Permanent Secretaries, and Secretaries which is ministers equivalent.

Contraty to Buhari's perception, ministers are not for 'noisemaking', neither are they meant to 'fill space' except the incompetent and clueless ones. Without cabinet ministers, a country will be likened to one on 'Auto-piloting'. More importantly, our constitution provide for offices of Ministers just as it provide for the offices of the President and Vice President.

To be fair with the President, his perception of Ministers is inappropriate. I wonder what prompted him to utter such statement when he was a former minister under the General Olusegun Obasanjo military regime between 1977-79. Is he trying to say that he was a 'noisemaking' minister in General Obasanjo cabinet?


May God Bless Us All

“The ministers are there, I think, to make a lot of noise; for the politicians to make a lot of noise. But the work is being done by the technocrats.

If we believe that politicians only make noise, is Bubu exempt from this noise making?

Tonye... the fact that people actually praise ur analysis shows the level of decay in Nigerian educational system
Let me educate u a little bit
1) a minister is a mere representative of the president in that ministry
2) the president can pass his directives or give instructions based on his manifesto to any ministery WITH OR WITHOUT A MINISTER
3) ministers are only needed when the president wants to reduce the work load on him.... And if the president is not complaining..... I wonder y u should.. ....
..

noted

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Ok

I agree with the next speaker

Buhari made a very stupeed statement when he said ministers are not needed. Who submits economic plans, ideas, and manage the ministries?

So, Buhari is trying to say what Adesina did in the agricultural sector was mere noise-making? Or what some Akunyili in the information ministry was mere noise-making?
Is it the ministries where we still have old men with 1970 brains that he is calling technocrats? So, they've been technocrats all these years and all the ministries are more or less dead except with the timely intervention of some ministers who gave many of their jobs to some consulting firms to save them from mass sack.

A ministry without minister is like an army without a commander. They know how to kill, but they don't know who to kill.

When I say the economy is run by someone who lacks the mental capacity to think of the box, they'll say someone is wailing.

Mogidi:


If we believe Bubu that politicians only make noise, is he exempt?

I can imagine what will run through the minds of his respondents when he uttered those words.

Everybody knows Buhari is an illiterate.

President Buhari's statement was to make two points:

1. Ministers could be sources of distraction as a result of their dual allegiance; to their function as officials of the state and as politicians (especially in the context of ongoing reforms).

2. The element of corruption that underlies the present emphasis on the speedy appointment of ministers; with regard to agitations bordering on ethnicity.

President Buhari did not imply or expressly undermine the role of ministers.

Mogidi:


@the emboldened, would Buhari appoint ministers considering they're "distractions"?

Within the context of present reforms (like the TSA enforcement), ministers could adversely influence their implementation as a result of personal/political interest or other factors. It then makes sense that the appointments were delayed until the MDA's were reviewed and critical steps/measures/observations were taken.

Buhari would one day eat his words. He keeps spewing trash every here and there, feeling like he owns every Nigerian.. .

TonyeBarcanista:
I can imagine what will run through the minds of his respondents when he uttered those words.

This is like the team coach deflating the morale of his team before a big match.

Barcanistar really thinks that the President or anybody in government is reading his gibberish. I've seen him at various times call himself opposition, analyst, etc. He's non of these; just a floater fighting for his daily bread. But employers these days check the social network ID of prospective employees. The question is, will you employ Barcanistar if he walks into your office for a job? I think the minion, who posits nothing and represents nothing has a long dwelling on Nairaland for food.

Rawani:
President Buhari's statement was to make two points:

1. [size=15pt]Ministers could be sources of distraction as a result of their dual allegiance[/size]; to their function as officials of the state and as politicians.

2. The element of corruption that underlies the present emphasis on the speedy appointment of ministers; with regard to agitations bordering on ethnicity.

@the emboldened, would Buhari appoint ministers considering they're "distractions"?

Wailers response to everything. This post and On can be best describe as wailing wailers association! !!

All hail the people defender......ride on

[s]

kITATITA:
Barcanistar really thinks that the President or anybody in government is reading his gibberish. I've seen him at various times call himself opposition, analyst, etc. He's non of these; just a floater fighting for his daily bread. But employers these days check the social network ID of prospective employees. The question is, will you employ Barcanistar if he walks into your office for a job? I think the minion, who posits nothing and represents nothing has a long dwelling on Nairaland for food.

[/s]

Get lost

sammyj:
Wailers response to everything. This post and On can be best describe as wailing wailers association! !!

And your point is?

So I think this question of ministers is
political. People from different constituencies want to see
their people directly in government, and see what they can get out of it.”

Well articulated. We see tons of them every second here.

I will take u serious the day u ask Jonathan to declear his asset after leaving office

Rawani:
President Buhari's statement was to make two points:

1. Ministers could be sources of distraction as a result of their dual allegiance; to their function as officials of the state and as politicians (especially in the context of ongoing reforms).

2. The element of corruption that underlies the present emphasis on the speedy appointment of ministers; with regard to agitations bordering on ethnicity.

I do not believe he implied or expressly undermined the role of ministers.

Which one are u? Garba Shehu or Femi Adesina? You now interpret plain English for those that are slow on the uptake abi?

It is instructive that all the Presidents policies can be transmitted to MDA's for implementation without the minister's involvement.

mrvitalis:
I will take u serious the day u ask Jonathan to declear his asset after leaving office

Bros will it be too much to ask you to stay on point? The topic of discussion here is Buhari's assertion that ministers are noise makers.

Mogidi:

This is like the team coach deflating the morale of his team before a big match.

I think Buhari's preferred style of leadership is 'Sole Administratorship'

Rawani:


Emphasis on 'could be'. Within the context of present reforms (like the TSA enforcement), ministers could adversely influence their implementation as a result of personal/political interest or other factors. [size=15pt]It then makes sense that the appointments were delayed until the MDA's were reviewed and critical steps/measures/observations were taken[/size].

We were told the delay in appointing ministers was for Buhari to find men of integrity, is this your own take or the fed govt's position?

The truth is that Ministers are errand boys of the president. They can be hired and fired in one day.

In d case of Nigeria, only few ministers are actually relevant. Majority are just appointed to fill political space.

Mogidi:
[s][/s]
Get lost

pained?

mrvitalis:
Tonye... the fact that people actually praise ur analysis shows the level of decay in Nigerian educational system
Let me educate u a little bit
1) a minister is a mere representative of the president in that ministry
2) the president can pass his directives or give instructions based on his manifesto to any ministery WITH OR WITHOUT A MINISTER
3) ministers are only needed when the president wants to reduce the work load on him.... And if the president is not complaining..... I wonder y u should.. ....
..

1. Ministers are not 'mere' representatives. You gotta read
2. The constitution and relevant laws still specified some duties of the minister. For instance, the Attoney-General must give a go-ahead before any Security Agency can prosecute any case. The Petroleum minister is the statutory chairperson of NNPC. The aforementioned roles cannot be performed by the President except he takes charge of the ministries like Obj did.
3. No sane government function without cabinet. Go figure!

Finally, I won't hesitate to ignore you indefinitely should you reply will abusive word(s).