In a bold call for continued reform, Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South in Nigeria’s National Assembly, urged President Bola Tinubu to further intensify his recent cabinet reshuffle by dismissing additional underperforming ministers. The senior lawmaker made his appeal in a statement released on October 26, 2024, lauding Tinubu’s commitment to restructuring while advocating for deeper, more strategic changes to fully realize the administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.
“The President has taken a commendable step by restructuring his cabinet, but some ministers are still not up to the task,” Ndume stated, endorsing Tinubu’s recent decision to replace five ministers, reassign ten others, and establish the Ministry of Regional Development to succeed the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
Ndume further proposed that President Tinubu convene a national economic summit to foster home-grown solutions for the country’s pressing economic challenges. He recommended an expert panel comprising respected Nigerian economists and former ministers, including Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, Akinwumi Adesina, Mansur Muktar, Arunma Oteh, and economist Tope Fasua.
“This national economic summit should be purely led by these eminent Nigerians, who will provide recommendations tailored to our context instead of relying on the IMF and World Bank, whose prescriptions are often harsh on ordinary citizens,” Ndume argued, stressing the need for local expertise to alleviate external economic pressures.
In addition to backing Tinubu’s reforms, Ndume acknowledged the President’s efforts to cut down the cost of governance and urged similar measures across other branches of government. He emphasized that input from Nigerian experts could yield the long-term strategic direction the country needs, especially as Nigerians face rising economic hardships.
The Senator expressed his confidence in Tinubu’s willingness to adopt expert recommendations, affirming that, with the right moves, Nigeria’s economic landscape can achieve sustainable progress.