The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has said that Nigeria deserved more ministers as the current 36 and those expected to be added by President Muhammadu Buhari in his expected cabinet reshuffle and expansion may not be enough.
President of the society Engr. Otis Anyaeji, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the ‘Abuja2017’
National engineering conference and annual general meeting (AGM) of the association themed: “Diversification of Nigerian Economy: Engineering Perspective”.
The President at the event which also witnessed the conferment of honorary fellowship on four distinguished Nigerians cited a case of the United Kingdom having 24 ministries and over 100 ministers.
Those conferred with the honorary fellowship are Mr Ernest Azudialu-Obiejes, Mr Alfred Irobor Okoigun, Elder Nathaniel C. U. Okoro and Mr James Abiodun Olotu.
“We are happy that the President (Buhari) has realized that the provision in the constitution about the appointment of ministers is just a minimum and all states of the federation must be represented. But 36 ministers or a few more, and a handful of ministers of states are too few to cope with the diversities of the policy elements that are made to be deployed at the ministerial level.
“We also have to look at the question of configuration of the ministries, which unfortunately in Nigeria is subjected to frequent changes as government comes and goes. But in the UK, the ministries are matter of establishment under the law,” Anyaeji said.
He also urged the President to unbundle some ministries and bring on board more professionals at the ministerial level, for effectiveness and efficiency in government.
