Twelve ministers in the last federal cabinet are returning to their former ministry to resume work on Monday after being sworn in yesterday by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Two new ministers cleared along with the old ones by the Senate last week are to await their posting by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Pius Anyim.
The ministers were sworn-in in three batches of fives and four.
The 14 ministers comprise 10 male and four female.
The ministers sworn in are Emeka Nwogu (Labour); Bala Mohammed (Federal Capital Territory); Diezani Allison-Madueke (Petroleum); Godsday Orubebe (Niger Delta); Prof. Chukwu Onyebuchi (Health); Caleb Olubolade (Minister of state FCT) and Prof. Rukqayat Rufai (Education).
Others are Dr. Shamusideen Usman (National Planning Commission); Mohammed Sada (Solid Mineral Development); Suleiman Yusuf (Transport); Bello Adoke (Justice) and Labaran Maku (Information and Communications).
The two new ministers who are awaiting their postings are Stella Ogiewonyi and Zainab Maina.
The ceremony which commenced at 11am lasted about one hour. Suleiman Yusuf, Minister of Transport was the first to arrive the presidential villa at 9.34am.
The president’s pronouncement to returnee ministers to go back to their office which they vacated on May 29 was in line with his stand for continuity. He had said that constant changes do not help development especially, when they performed above average.
Apart from directing the ministers to go back to their last posting, the president said he was going to reserve his comment until the whole ministers are sworn-in.
He also assured that henceforth, any nominee cleared would immediately be sworn in.
“Customarily I’m supposed to give a comprehensive speech but because we are taking the ministers in batches, you know we have stayed for quiet some time and the Senate is still screening, any group that is cleared even if it is one, that person will take the oath of office so that the ministers will go and hit the ground running and that is why we are doing it now.
“So, I will wait till the day we will take the last oath that will give the speech where I will comment on the cabinet and inform Nigerians about the focus of our administration in the next six months or so to end this year and then till 2015. For those of you who have taken your oath of office, most of you are returnee ministers. I have to congratulate you because there is always a big battle to come back and so for you to have gone through the Senate and security screening, I hope you will continue to do the work Nigerians expect you to do.
“Those of you who are returning are to go back to your ministries and start work. For the new ministers, the SGF will inform you of your posting Monday morning,” the president said.
Labaran Maku, one of the returnee ministers who spoke to journalists, revealed that the president gave them some documents which contain the government’s new direction.
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and the former governor of Nasarawa State, Aliyu Doma, were among the dignitaries and families at the short oath taking ceremony.
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