Tinubu asked to sack more underperforming ministers, convene economic summit

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider dismissing more underperforming ministers to accelerate the implementation of his “Renewed Hope” agenda.

In a Saturday statement from Abuja, Ndume praised Tinubu’s recent cabinet reshuffle, including the establishment of a Ministry of Regional Development to oversee regional commissions, as a positive step but noted that additional changes are necessary.

“More needs to be done because some ministers are still missing in action,” Ndume remarked, expressing concern that certain cabinet members are not effectively contributing to the administration’s goals.

This call comes after Tinubu’s recent cabinet overhaul, in which he dismissed six ministers, appointed seven replacements, and reassigned 10 portfolios.

Ndume, a former Senate Chief Whip, further encouraged Tinubu to convene a national economic summit to address Nigeria’s economic challenges with home-grown solutions.

He proposed that experienced economists and policymakers like former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former education minister Oby Ezekwesili, Mansur Muktar, Akinwumi Adesina, Aruma Oteh, and Tope Fasua should lead the summit, drawing on their expertise to devise sustainable solutions for the country’s economic growth.

“This national economic summit should be purely led by these eminent Nigerians, and they will come up with recommendations instead of the IMF and World Bank’s prescriptions that are harsh and hard on the ordinary citizens.

“I believe if the recommendations are good, President Tinubu will implement them, and this will help the country in no small ways,” Ndume said.

The senator hailed the move by President Tinubu to reduce the cost of governance in the face of economic difficulties and urged other arms of government to do the same.