News
May 29: Cabinet Reshuffle Looms As Tinubu reviews ministers’ scorecards
With President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary in office barely a week away, the Central Results Delivery and Coordination Unit is racing to present him a fresh set of ministerial scorecards.
The scorecards will focus on the performance of the various ministries for the first quarter of 2025 as Tinubu’s administration enters its mid-term on May 29.
The confidential assessment, which covers the first quarter of 2025, is expected “any time from now,” one aide said, adding that under-performing ministries are already feeling the heat of renewed scrutiny.
The CDCU, an agency under the Presidency responsible for assessing ministers’ performance quarterly, is currently verifying performance reports of the various government ministries and assigning them scores, the official added.
Sources familiar with the exercise said each ministry uploaded evidence of projects and policy milestones to a secure CDCU portal last month.
Since then, a verification team led by the Unit’s head, Hadiza Bala-Usman, has been poring over the submissions and assigning scores against the performance bonds ministers signed at the October 2023 cabinet retreat.
The officials, who chose to speak on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk about the matter, disclosed that Bala-Usman is working to transmit the reports to the President’s desk as soon as possible.
Asked about the assessment of some prominent cabinet members, an insider described the performance of many ministers as average, noting that only a few of them scored above average.
“The one minister who has done fairly well is the minister of works and a few others. When you look at the assessment of several others, they performed poorly in several critical metrics,” the official stated.
Even though the President is not expected to take any immediate action on the performance of any minister or ministry, the report is expected to provide Tinubu with the most up-to-date information on the performances of his cabinet members.
The information, sources said, will also help the President to engage some of his cabinet members or ministers on areas of improvement when necessary.
A top Presidency source close to the development said, “Officials of the various ministries have uploaded the reports of their activities and projects on the portal provided by the CDCU. These are based on deliverables that the ministries themselves have set.
“Officials of CDCU have done their detailed verifications and assessments of the uploaded projects. Scores have been assigned based on their findings. The final report for all the ministries is meant for the President.”
At the opening of the three-day Cabinet Retreat for Ministers, Presidential Aides, Permanent Secretaries and top government functionaries on November 1, 2023, President Tinubu said ministers in his cabinet would only retain their offices based on performance, which would be reviewed quarterly.
“If you are performing, nothing to fear. If you miss the objective, we’ll review it. If no performance, you leave us. No one is an island, and the buck stops on my desk,” said the President.
In October 2024, the President rejigged his cabinet, and some ministers were asked to leave while others were reassigned to other portfolios.
The CDCU’s dossier was credited with informing the shake-up that led to the swapping of portfolios and resulted in the removal of two underperforming ministers after just 16 months in office.
The CDCU was established in June 2023, when Tinubu appointed Bala Usman, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, as Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination.
Modelled on similar delivery units in the United Kingdom and Rwanda, its mandate is to track key performance indicators, publish quarterly dashboards and flag red-line projects for presidential intervention.
On October 17, 2023, Bala-Usman announced that her unit would begin transmitting quarterly reports to the President from January 2024, as all ministries had received their budgets for the 2024 fiscal year by then.
“We’re looking to commence an assessment of the respective ministries in January 2024. We’re going to have a quarterly assessment of performance, which would culminate in an annual scorecard,” the former NPA Chief explained in an interview on TVC.
That month, the unit trained at least 140 officials to track and assess the performance of federal ministries, departments and agencies.
The officers were drawn from 35 federal MDAs. They comprised a permanent secretary and directors of planning and other officials, four each from 35 ministries, officials told one of our correspondents.
Bala-Usman has repeatedly warned that the scorecards are more than academic.
At a media briefing in February 2025, she reminded ministers that “quarterly assessments will feed directly into presidential decisions,” noting that the Unit’s last report had already triggered “targeted conversations” and mid-term adjustments in at least three ministries.
“If your deliverables are slipping, the data will show it,” she said then.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, and Labour Party have criticised the President and his ministers over allegations of poor governance.
By Our Correspondent
As Nigeria celebrates its 66th Independence Anniversary, the candidate for the House of Representatives seat representing the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Hon. Chief Kevin Tobias Chukwu, has called on Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to building a better country.
Chukwu, also known as Ochiri Ozua 1 of Amagu Ikwo, made the call in an Independence Day message to Nigerians, particularly the people of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency and Ebonyi State.
He described the anniversary as not only a moment for celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on the state of the nation and the responsibilities of leaders in building a Nigeria that meets the aspirations of its citizens.
According to him, Nigeria’s journey since independence has been marked by significant challenges, with millions of citizens currently facing economic hardship, while young people continue to search for opportunities and many communities contend with insecurity and uncertainty.
Despite these challenges, the Ebonyi politician said the resilience of Nigerians remained a source of hope for the country’s future.
“I believe in the resilience of our people. I believe in the ingenuity of our youths, the strength of our women, the wisdom of our elders and the determination of ordinary Nigerians who wake up every morning and refuse to give up on this country,” he said.
Chukwu, however, stressed that hope must be matched by responsible leadership, arguing that public office should be viewed as a responsibility rather than a privilege.
He called for leadership that prioritises the protection of lives, creation of economic opportunities, provision of infrastructure, strengthening of institutions and responsible management of national resources.
The candidate also emphasised the need to create an environment where young Nigerians can pursue successful lives within the country and where hard work, merit and enterprise are rewarded.
He said Nigeria had “come too far to surrender to hopelessness,” urging citizens and leaders alike to remain committed to the country’s progress.
“A better Nigeria is still possible, but it will require responsible leadership, accountable institutions and citizens who refuse to give up on their country,” he said.
Chukwu concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future, declaring: “Nigeria will rise. Nigeria must rise. And together, we must build the Nigeria we deserve.”
He also paid tribute to the nation’s past heroes, praying that their sacrifices would continue to inspire the country.
“May the labour of our heroes past never be in vain,” he said, as he wished Nigerians a happy 66th Independence Anniversary.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
As Nigeria celebrates its 66th anniversary of independence from colonial rule, democracy in the country has continued to evolve and deepen, the Anambra State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, has said.
Anosike made the observation in a message to mark Nigeria’s Independence anniversary, noting that despite the challenges the country had encountered since 1960, its democratic system had continued to improve under successive administrations.
According to him, since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed relatively smooth transitions from one administration to another, while citizens have continued to exercise their fundamental rights to hold governments accountable for their performance.
“Before the return of the democratic process, it was indeed difficult and near taboo to challenge the leadership of the country, and those who may have attempted it in the past faced grave consequences.
“Similarly, we have had smooth transitions from one dispensation to another, producing five presidents through the ballot and not through the barrel of the gun. These elected presidents were produced by different political parties.”
Anosike said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had sustained the country’s democratic principles and created an avenue for Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, race or religion, to express their views on government policies and programmes.
“Under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigerians have been enjoying the freedom to express themselves over issues, policies and programmes of government, and those expressions have been shaping and guiding the administration of Mr President,” he said.
The APC chairman said Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary provided an opportunity for citizens to reflect on the country’s journey as a nation and the progress made since independence.
He said President Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast had offered another opportunity for Nigerians to renew their hope for a greater and more prosperous country.
Anosike also commended what he described as the “enormous infrastructural development” taking place across the country under the Tinubu administration.
He urged Nigerians to continue to support and have faith in the administration as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
An Elder Statesman, Chief Hycienth Ngwu, has called on political leaders and policies formulators to ensure governmental policies and programmes directly touch lives of the people and reduce hardship in the country.
Ngwu, who is a prominent community leader in Enugu, urged Nigerians to maintain peace within neighbourhoods and communities, as no meaningful development can take place without peace.
The statesman made the call on Thursday in Enugu while reacting to the developmental efforts of Nigeria at its 66th Independence.
He said that previous and present administrations had put in place policies and programmes to reset the socioeconomic fabric of the nation.
Ngwu said that while the removal of fuel subsidy, and unification of the foreign exchange had good intentions, their impact is yet to reflect on the lives and livelihoods of vast majority of Nigerians.
He urged leaders to ensure that public resources were properly managed while citizens remained patient with reforms aimed at improving the socioeconomic status of the country.
The elder statesman noted that at 66th independence, the country was still struggling on keeping its peace and co-existence as a country; adding that the founding leaders of Nigeria envisaged a closely united, bonded and peaceful country.
He called for return to policies that promote local production, indigenous industries and entrepreneurship, arguing that excessive dependence on imports had continued to weaken the country’s productive capacity.
According to him, we are yet to achieve economic independence even as we needed to do more on non oil revenue earns as the greater part of the world is moving towards greener and clean energy.
“Greater emphasis should be on skills acquisition, creativity and entrepreneurship education system, as academic qualifications without practical skills could leave graduates dependent on scarce white collar jobs.
“We ought to be economically productive nation capable of producing and exporting goods while developing its human capital,” he said.
Ngwu noted that current insecurity and social instability could be partly attributed to poverty and ignorance, while calling for greater honesty and trust between leaders and citizens.
“Corruption, tribalism and selfishness must be addressed if Nigeria is to achieve peace and lasting progress,” he added.
He also called for the scrapping of state electoral commissions as they have not helped in deepening democracy at that level. The National Election body should take over that responsibility.
As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Day, Macmaduson Concepts Limited, a leading provider of HVACR,industrial parts, sensors, electrical and plumbing materials, has extended warm Independence Day greetings to its customers, clients and business partners across the country.
In a goodwill message to mark the occasion, the company expressed appreciation to its valued customers for their continuous support, trust and partnership over the years.
Macmaduson Concepts Limited, which specialises in HVACR,Industrial Materials, sensors, air-conditioners, refrigerators, cold rooms, chillers, refrigerants, electrical materials and plumbing materials, said the occasion provides an opportunity to celebrate Nigeria and reflect on the nation’s journey.
The company wished Nigeria continued growth, unity, peace and prosperity, while expressing hope for a brighter future for all Nigerians.
The message from the company reads in part:
At Macmaduson Concepts Limited, we celebrate our great nation, Nigeria, and appreciate our valued clients for their continuous support, trust and partnership. May Nigeria continue to grow in unity, peace and prosperity.”
The company concluded its Independence Day message with the theme: “One Nation, One People, A Brighter Tomorrow.”
Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!
Happy 66th Independence Anniversary from Macmaduson Concepts Limited.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The perennial flooding in Awka, the Anambra State capital, may soon be brought under control following the commencement of flood control measures by the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA).
The Authority has commenced the dredging of the Obibia Stream as part of efforts to improve the flow of floodwater and reduce flooding on major roads and streets within the capital territory.
During the rainy season, Zik’s Avenue, one of the major roads in Awka, is frequently affected by flooding, with water reportedly submerging buildings and disrupting commercial activities and vehicular movement, particularly around Eke Awka Main Market.
The ACTDA management has also commenced the desilting of drains and flood channels across the capital territory to ensure the free flow of water during heavy rainfall.
Speaking on the development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ACTDA, Ozo Ossy Onuko, attributed the recurring flooding to the blockage of drainage systems, largely caused by human activities.
Onuko said the desilting of drains would remain a continuous exercise, adding that the Authority would periodically clear the drainage channels to improve water flow.
“What we must understand is that the flood is as a result of the drainage that has been blocked, and this is due to human activities. When you go to Eke Awka Market, most of the water channels are affected, but we shall continue to carry out the desilting of those drainages for water to flow easily,” he said.
He further disclosed that the Obibia Stream was being dredged to facilitate the easy flow of floodwater.
“As you also know, we have commenced the dredging of the Obibia Stream, which is part of efforts by government towards putting an end to the perennial flooding in the Capital City,” Onuko stated.
The ACTDA boss also observed that some of the drainage channels constructed in Awka in the past were not deep or wide enough to accommodate the volume of water generated during heavy rainfall.
According to him, the situation is further worsened when residents block the drainage channels with refuse and other materials.
He said the Authority was mobilising and sensitising market organisations and village associations to support government efforts in tackling flooding within the capital territory.
“Government is surely playing its role in that regard, but it is also the duty of residents of the Capital City to clear their gutters and ensure that garbage is not dumped inside the drainages,” he said.
Onuko expressed optimism that the measures being implemented would significantly reduce the flooding problem in Awka, while urging residents to support the government’s efforts.
“With what we are doing so far, the challenges of flooding would soon be a thing of the past, and we urge all and sundry to be part of this move because natural disasters know no bounds,” he stated.
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