August 22, 2023

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday shrugged off complaints that some of the newly sworn-in ministers are mismatched with their assigned portfolios, describing such criticisms as overblown.

“The notion that there has not been some sort of a link between some of the nominees and the various sectors they will now be overseeing, I think is a bit overblown,” Ngelale said during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Business Morning.

“I think sometimes there is a tendency on the part of some public analysts to oversimplify the general backgrounds of some certain nominees.”

The comments come barely 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the 45 new ministers in a much-anticipated ceremony held at the State House.

Ngelale addressed criticisms of Tinubu’s choice of Festus Keyamo in the role of Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development designation, among others.

The presidential aide acknowledged that Keyamo might never have flown a plane nor been a captain. He however argued that anyone that understands the minutiae of the aviation industry recognises the central role that policy and regulation play in the effective operation of that industry.

“We talk about aviation safety, flight safety, civil aviation safety. All of this has to do with how strong your legal foundations are; that there are effective regulations crafted to oversight that sector,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s any better legal mind in the cabinet to be able to oversee any review of the policy regulations that will be undergirding the aviation sector moving forward.”

Describing Keyamo as a “no-nonsense individual”, Ngelale believes the minister will not be quiet or look the other way in the face of sharp practices.

“It’s not just a matter of professional background. That’s part of it but the other part of it is personality, who you are and what your tendencies are,” he said.

“We believe he’s going to do a fantastic job and we believe that his legal profession [and] background is going to suit him very well.”

The presidential spokesman also cited the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, saying he possessed decades’ worth of experience in the insurance industry, including setting up his own establishment.

“He dealt quite extensively with the shipping industry, for example,” the presidential aide added.

According to Ngelale, the Minister of Economic Planning and Budget, Atiku Bagudu, also fits his portfolio.

He highlighted the former Kebbi State governor’s career at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the World Bank, and his academic credentials, including a first degree in finance and a master’s in Economic Management from Columbia University in New York.

“Across the board, you are going to find how the professional backgrounds and the academic backgrounds of all nominees and now fully sworn-in ministers will suit the agenda of Mr President very well, in terms of policy execution implementation,” he added.