President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday charged the seven new members of his cabinet to brace up for public criticisms and abuse in their new roles.
He however encouraged them to remain steadfast and resilient.
Tinubu was speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for the new Ministers at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
Those sworn in were Idi Maiha as Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development; Dr Suwaiba Ahmad as Minister of State for Education and Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Others were Dr Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (Trade Investment); Dr Nentawe Yilwatda as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and Muhammadu Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment.
The President underscored that while scrutiny and critique are part of the responsibilities they now hold, their lasting reward will be the legacy they build in driving Nigeria toward prosperity and growth.
Acknowledging the complex challenges ahead, including economic pressures and security issues, Tinubu emphasized the gravity of their service, reminding the ministers of their duty to Nigeria’s more than 200 million citizens.
He commended their willingness to take on such significant roles, particularly at a time marked by demanding conditions and difficult decisions.
The President noted that the commitment to public service requires personal sacrifice, including the surrender of personal freedoms, underscoring the unique nature of their choice to serve.
He expressed pride in their readiness to confront Nigeria’s pressing challenges, reinforcing that each minister’s dedication will be essential to the administration’s collective mission.
“You will be part of criticism and abuse Don’t worry, stay focused, stay resilient. Your thanks will come with the history of growth and prosperity for this country. It is my joy and honour to be part of you to be responsible for over 200 million people in this country.
“I appreciate the fact that you have taken the Oath of Office and ready to serve your nation at the time we are facing the challenges of economic growth and other items like security challenges and others.
“It is not easy to find just the unique people that will surrender their lives, freedoms and other responsibilities to serve their nation anytime in this time of challenges.
“The moment is challenging, the present situation calls for a very serious commitment, yours is a duty to serve and that is what you’ve got to do,” he said.
Tinubu assured of his administration’s readiness to completely stop the profiteers and smugglers of the nation’s resources, adding that will continually confront the economic and security challenges facing the country.
“We have stopped the scavengers we are going to stop completely the profiteers and smugglers of our resources across the country. We are not going to run away from our responsibility, we are going to face it and we have been facing it head loon with you as a member of this team, I will proud and I am proud and honoured that I am leading you and we will lead to success and prosperity,” he said.
Emphasising that service is the hallmark of governance, Tinubu seized the opportunity to appreciate the council members present at the ceremony, applauding them for their hard work towards repositioning the country.
“I am sincerely happy that you are here today to be part of this very committed team of Nigerians who have been working tirelessly since 17 months ago when we assumed the responsibility of governing this country, you are called upon to join the team to rescue this country.
“Service is the hallmark of this human endeavour you are being called upon to serve, for 17 months, I thank many of the ministers that are present here today for the hard work that they have embarked upon tirelessly to put Nigeria on the recovery path,” he said.
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