₦airaland Forum

sosanova:
I won't be surprised if Buhari men comes out with a counter statement to deny this report..cos this is a government of denials

LeOstrich:
See my post above.

Abiola was involved in filtering money to coup plotters across sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria.

How do you think he became so close to IBB?

Bluetooth2:
If Abiola was a CIA agent, why did they kill him ?

barcanista:
This article is in response to a topic created on Saturday, June 27, 2015 titled What Is The Need Of Minister When We Have Permanent Secretaries. The purpose of the thread was to justify the delay of ministerial appointment by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari

On the said Thread many respondents were of the opinion that there is no need for ministers when we have career permanent secretaries manning various ministries. But is this really so?
Let us critically look into the subject.

1. Job Role
The Permanent secretary in a ministry is the Chief Executive of that ministry. He's the Accounting Officer and most senior civil servant within the ministry. He does not formulate strategic policies of the government but he only execute operational plans of the government in power.
The Minister on the other hand is a non career civil servant that is employed by the government in power to formulate strategic policies for a specified sector. In addition to this, he supervises ALL the non-Ministerial Departments that falls within the sector.

2. Scope
The scope of the permanent secretary in a ministry is only restricted within his ministry.
The Minister on the other hand is not only confined to the supervision of his "ministry", he also supervises Department and Agencies that comes with his office as minister on behalf of the President. For instance, the Minister of Transport supervises both the Ministry of Transport, NIMASSA, Nigeria Railway Corporation(NRC), Nigeria Ports Authority, Nigeria Shippers Council, Maritime Academy of Nigeria etc. The DGs or CEOs of the non-Ministerial Parastatals formulates and implements operational policies (as approved by the various boards) which must be in line with that of the Minister's strategic policy of the government. The perm-sec has no such power.

3. Representation:
Constitutionally, each state must have a minister who is nominated and appointed by the President subject to the approval of the Senate. Each minister sits on the Federal Executive Council and they represent their respective states in the Council. The President and the Vice represent the entire federation.
The Perm-sec on the other hand do not have such constitutional defined representation.

4. Is The "Minister" Ceremonial?
Absolutely not! The minister is a politician that understands and believes in the overall goal of the President. He is hired by the President to formulate policies (subject to approval of the president and Federal Executive Council), and then he ensures that these policies and programs of the FG/President are implemented by his Permanent Secretary, DGs and MDs of Agencies under his supervision. He also ensures that policies and programs that are executed by these MDAs under his supervision are in tandem. For instance, the Petroleum Minister is to ensure that the contracts approved by the Ministerial Tender board (Headed by the Perm-sec) are in tandem with the government laid down rules. He must counter sign it to show government's approval. Also, the Petroleum Minister by law is to ensure that policies of the Executive Management of NNPC are to be in line with wish of the government in power. In addition to this, he receives petitions against any Executive staff and Board Chairman/Members of non-ministerial agency within his supervision on behalf of the President. He also advises the President on the best way to address such petition.

Can The Permanent Secretary Function As Minister?
Absolutely Negative! The Permanent Secretary within a ministry cannot supervise the CEO/DG that is under the ministry's supervision. He has no business with policy formulation on behalf of the government. He's not aligned to any political party and he's not hired by the President but by the Civil service. The President can fire any erring minister over non performance or based on any slightest issue or non issue, but he can't fire the perm-sec over "poor performance". The worst he can do is to redeploy the perm-sec in line with the civil service rules. The Perm-sec can only leave the civil service on voluntary/mandatory retirement, death or based on any offence that stipulate the wield stick as punishment.

Nigeria Situation Without Ministers
The situation that we are in under Buhari means that there is nobody to formulate policies for and on behalf of the FG in line with the "Change" of the Buhari's administration. It also means that nobody to supervise ministries, agencies and departments which give room for theft and mismanagement of public funds by civil servants. It means that the public won't be able to experience any policy change anytime soon. It means that the President will dish out "orders" as the spirit directs without analysing core factors. It also means that permanent secretaries and DG/CEOs of Agencies will act in accordance with existing rule aka Auto-Pilot.

Finally, Nigeria is not the first and only country to practice political cabinet Minister in addition to perm-secs of ministries. The Nigeria equivalent of career civil servants perm-sec in the UK is Permanent Under Secretary(PUS), Italy call theirs Secretary-General, Canada (Deputy Minister), Australia (Secretary), USA (Deputy Secretary) etc. All these countries still have cabinet ministers that are incharge with policies and supervision.

I hope we all understand that there is NO WAY President Buhari can effectively bring change without ministers.


God Bless Us All

msmon:
He may probably have some information that can get Mama Peace exposed. Just thinking!

IdiAmin1:
As of 1990, had Saraki gotten his PHD?
I'm just asking though?

Saifullah01:
The thought just crossed my mind, the perm secs are the brain boxes in all ministries, ministers are just politicians.

Secondly I hope those accusing the president of weakness by not interfering in the NASS, will not turn around and insult him if he gives the EFCC same latitude in the performance of their duties

Your thoughts...

Olusanya333:
The national Sunday law will kick off the great tribulation

atbu1983:
SALARY AND ALLOWANCE ARE WASTE OF PUBLIC FUND.

Without Ministers Nigeria will save atleast 2billion Naira a year as salary and allowance. we should just allow d permanent secretaries and Director of Ministries to Function.

IlekeHD:
You have a twin? That's cool. Double trouble.

Dust off that passport abeg lol

IlekeHD:
But Nigeria tho?

IlekeHD:
I see.

Why move back to Nigeria?

IlekeHD:
Cool. How's racism over there? Is it as bad as lower AmeriKKA?

IlekeHD:
If dem offer you AmeriKKKa visa right now, you go take am and bless AmeriKKKa.

manny4life:
Let me guess, you're the one to bring the disaster upon them?

ibedun:
Authentic Amala and Gbegiri soup!!!

And of course Igbo girls and Women. The married ones are sweeter (if married to a Biafran of course)

blym4real:
It really pathetic, am afraid of making any international payments for now.

akanbiaa:
am giving you aunthentic info from my family friends who are at Agbaji the family house they adopted the people the Sarakis came to meet in ilorin from Abeokuta and adopted their family house and you are telling me he is Fulani as a politician don't you know claiming Fulani generally is more beneficial and when he is among southwest folks he claims Yoruba. Lesson don't trust all what a politician tell you and about google it's people that put it there.

biodunid:
We said it and he did it! Ambode is the da man!

https://www.nairaland.com/2379639/memo-ambode-build-three-flyovers

propzncribz:
This bag is probably older than half of the Nairalanders

millhouse:
All is see is opportunities for new millionaires to emerge In all this

CallPolice:
IF buhari fails, we all are failure.