Bayo Onanuga, who is President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said that the recent firing of some ministers was based on the scores of Nigerians and real-world facts. He also talked about how important Hadiza Bala Usman was in getting the ministers fired. Usman is the Special Advisor to the President on Policy and Coordination.
On Wednesday, President Tinubu fired six ministers. They were Uju-Ken Ohanenye, who used to be Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John, who used to be Minister of Tourism; Prof. Tahir Mamman, who used to be Minister of Education; Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, who used to be Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development; and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, who used to be Minister of Youth Development.
Onanuga said that the President’s choice was based on how Nigerians thought the ministers were doing their jobs. He said that Hadiza Bala Usman was in charge of a performance review that asked people to rate the ministers’ work.
As Onanuga put it, “When the ministers were sworn in, the President told them that as president, he has the power to hire and fire, and that he would not hesitate to get rid of ministers who couldn’t do their jobs.” At a meeting in October of last year, he also said the same thing about his plan to always try to change his cabinet if some of them aren’t doing their job.
Onanuga talked about Bala Usman’s part in firing the ministers. He said, “Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, actually brought technology into it by asking Nigerians to rate the minister.” So, the person who was fired was removed based on facts and how the people saw them. Nigerians filled out the scorecard, and the President responded to the findings.
President Tinubu also added seven new ministers to his cabinet, saying that the problems facing the country needed more help. “The Nigerian government needs a lot of hands to deal with the problems the country is facing,” Onanuga said in support of the President’s choice.
People in Nigeria have had a range of responses to the firings. Some have praised the President’s bravery, while others have criticized the changes.
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