Osinbajo swears in Ocheni, Hassan as ministers

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday, in Abuja swore-in two new ministers, Stephen Ocheni from Kogi State and Suleiman Hassan from Gombe State as members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Speaking at the event, Osinbajo challenged the new ministers to actively participate in the task of turning around the nation’s economy and making life better for all Nigerians.
He stated that the Federal Executive Council was committed to implementing its far-reaching reform programmes as contained in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and other such documents.
“We have focused our intention on key areas of that economic reform programme and those key areas have become really what we believed need to be done to make a difference in the Nigerian economic and in the live and livelihoods of Nigerians
“So, we expect that our new ministers will also join in this herculean task of turning around the Nigerian economy and making life better for the citizens of this country.
“Of course you know aside from economy we have two major areas which of course as you know were highlighted by the president during the course of the campaign and after and have become the centrepieces of our administration’s programmes.
“Security and anti-corruption being the other two aside from the economy and we expect of course members of the federal Executive Council to focus on these key areas as well,’’ he said.
The acting president noted that the administration had recorded appreciable progress in the area of security in spite of minor security challenges in some parts of the country.
He, however, assured that the security challenges were being tackled “on a day-by-day basis’’.
Osinbajo also enjoined the new ministers to join the anti-corruption crusade.
“And also our conducts should be exemplary so that we are able to show by practice not just by words that we are determined to ensure that this country is where there is good governance and where there is honesty and integrity in service to the people.’’
It would be recalled that Ocheni and Hassan were confirmed by the Senate in May.
Ocheni replaces the late Minister of State for Labour, Mr James Ocholi, who died in a ghastly auto-crash along Kaduna-Abuja highway in 2016, while Hassan takes the place of Amina Mohammed.
Mohammed resigned as Minister of Environment to take up the job of Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.