Chidoka to Buhari: Publish review on sacked ministers, security sector, others

OBINNA EZUGWU

Former Aviation minister, Mr. Osita Chidoka has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to publish an independent performance review he claimed informed his decision to sack minsters of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Sabo Nanono and Power, Engr. Sale Mamman.

Recall that President Buhari had last week, in an uncharacteristic move, announced the sack of Nanono and Mamman.

President Buhari, in a widely reported speech at the Federal Executive Meeting, predicated his decision on a claimed “independent and critical self-review” of sectorial performance and evaluation.

According to Mr President, “Two years and some months into the second term, the tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review had taken firm roots through sector reporting during cabinet meetings and at retreats.

“These significant review steps had helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.”

In a statement on Monday, Chidoka founder of UnlockNaija, a Volunteer group committed to the renewal of the idea of Nigeria and unlocking the self-created gridlock obstructing the realisation of improved quality of life for all, noted that the statement announcing the sack gave the impression that Buhari evaluates and monitors the activities of his appointees through independent review and monitoring alignment with the nine priority areas of the government.

According to the former minister, “Nigerians would want Mr President to publish the said independent performance review, which according to him, have been going on for two years and some months into his second term and final term in office, and which led to the dismissal of the two ministers

“Mr President is called out to immediately share with Nigerians the name(s) of the independent evaluators, the performance measurement criteria, the total result of the evaluation, as well as the rating of other sectors, particularly security, education, health, road infrastructure, finance among other critical sectors.

“Nigerians would like to know the outcome of the assessment of the security agencies, identifying the weaknesses and communicating the plans for strengthening the identified weak areas.”

Speaking further, Chidoka emphasized that, “two of the nine priority areas of this administration are ‘expand access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity of Nigerians’ and ‘improve security for all.'”

He said Nigerians would want to know what score the independent reviewers assigned to those responsible for growing the economy, expanding access to quality education and improving security in our country.

“They would want to know how education has improved with most schools in the Northwest closed and thousands of school children kidnapped and how our economy has improved with unaffordable costs of goods and services and the fall of our naira to over N520 to the US Dollar.

“If Mr President does not share these details, it would be safe to assume that the sack of Ministers is another perfunctory action couched in language to suggest that the evidently drifting country is under the control of an active pilot when the reality on the ground speaks to the contrary.

“Mr President, prove us wrong. In the interest of transparency and your avowed commitment to change Nigeria, publish the result of this review. Also, communicate your plans to close the gaps. The proactive provision of the information would render a freedom of information request unnecessary.”