kenny987:


Which one are u? Garba Shehu or Femi Adesina? You now interpret plain English for those that are slow on the uptake abi?

kITATITA:
Barcanistar really thinks that the President or anybody in government is reading his gibberish. I've seen him at various times call himself opposition, analyst, etc. He's non of these; just a floater fighting for his daily bread. But employers these days check the social network ID of prospective employees. The question is, will you employ Barcanistar if he walks into your office for a job? I think the minion, who posits nothing and represents nothing has a long dwelling on Nairaland for food.

Mogidi:


@the emboldened, would Buhari appoint ministers considering they're "distractions"?

TonyeBarcanista:
I'm compelled to write this piece not to spite President Muhammadu Buhari but to cure his misconception of ministers. Earlier today, Mr President was quoted to have made a statement that suggest that ministers are not to relevant in the running of government. According to President Buhari


UNDERSTANDING Ministers and Civil Servants Roles:
Ministers:
Firstly, we have to appreciate the purpose of ministers of the federation. We all we agree that all political parties and candidates standing for elections come with their own program and agenda. These programs are highlighted in their respective document called their Manifesto. The Manifesto is usually in concordance with the overall ideology of the respective parties. When a party's Presidential candidate get elected, he assemble a team of men and women of intellectual standing and believers of his vision to help formulate policies, supervise implementations and defend these policies before the public to actualise the vision and fulfil the President's electoral programs. These group of people are called Ministers. The loyalty of the ministers are to the occupant of the President's office, the country and in most cases the ruling party. Ministers sit and deliberate on policy issues and strategy with the president

Civil Servants:
Every country have a workforce that carry out day-2-day activities of the government in power. We all agree that it is impossible for every government to come on board with their own workforce every 4-8years, hence the country provide for a 'permanent' workforce that will work with every administration. This workforce is called the Civil Service. They are non-partisan career people. They are not to help any political party or candidate formulate policies but are to work with every ruling party and administration to IMPLEMENT policies. They are technocrats and bureaucrats. Their loyalty is not to the ruling party or individual in power but to the "Office of the President" and the Country. They have NO business deliberating on policy issues and strategy with the president or his party. They only take instruction. Let's see a case study...

Case Study: Petroleum Ministry
In the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, there is the Minister, the Permanent Secretary and career Civil Servants, and other agencies and department (eg NNPC, PPPRA etc) under the ministry.

The Minister sit with the President to formulate policies and programs for the sector in line with the President's agenda. S/he prepares budget for the ministry, see to the implementation of this program/policies (supervision) and is answerable to the President, the party and the public. Statutorily, S/he is the Chairperson of the NNPC. She also supervises other department and agencies under her ministry on behalf of the President.


The Permanent Secretary is the Account officer of the ministry and most senior civil servant(rank) in the ministry. S/he is responsible for the implementation of the Minister's policies/program. S/he is the head of the ministerial tender board BUT any contract approved by the board has to be countersigned by the minister (to ensure that they are in tune with the Minister's/President's agenda). He/she is not a member of the Cabinet, neither can S/he replace the minister as the Chairperson of NNPC except S/he resigns and is appointed minister thereafter.


The roles of the minister and permanent secretary are distinct and straight forward. The importance of ministers cannot be over-emphasised. It is instructive to note that Nigeria is not an isolated case when it comes to ministers/permanent secretaries. The United States for instance have Under-Secretaries, which is Nigeria equivalent of Permanent Secretaries, and Secretaries which is ministers equivalent.

Contraty to Buhari's perception, ministers are not for 'noisemaking', neither are they meant to 'fill space' except the incompetent and clueless ones. Without cabinet ministers, a country will be likened to one on 'Auto-piloting'. More importantly, our constitution provide for offices of Ministers just as it provide for the offices of the President and Vice President.

To be fair with the President, his perception of Ministers is inappropriate. I wonder what prompted him to utter such statement when he was a former minister under the General Olusegun Obasanjo military regime between 1977-79. Is he trying to say that he was a 'noisemaking' minister in General Obasanjo cabinet?


May God Bless Us All

mrvitalis:
Tonye... the fact that people actually praise ur analysis shows the level of decay in Nigerian educational system
Let me educate u a little bit
1) a minister is a mere representative of the president in that ministry
2) the president can pass his directives or give instructions based on his manifesto to any ministery WITH OR WITHOUT A MINISTER
3) ministers are only needed when the president wants to reduce the work load on him.... And if the president is not complaining..... I wonder y u should.. ....
..

popcykaylah:
this barcanista is soo jobless walahi..I wonder why write an article or letter to a president who doesn't know you existsmh

mrvitalis:
Tonye... the fact that people actually praise ur analysis shows the level of decay in Nigerian educational system
Let me educate u a little bit
1) a minister is a mere representative of the president in that ministry
2) the president can pass his directives or give instructions based on his manifesto to any ministery WITH OR WITHOUT A MINISTER
3) ministers are only needed when the president wants to reduce the work load on him.... And if the president is not complaining..... I wonder y u should.. ....
..

mrvitalis:
Tonye... the fact that people actually praise ur analysis shows the level of decay in Nigerian educational system
Let me educate u a little bit
1) a minister is a mere representative of the president in that ministry
2) the president can pass his directives or give instructions based on his manifesto to any ministery WITH OR WITHOUT A MINISTER
3) ministers are only needed when the president wants to reduce the work load on him.... And if the president is not complaining..... I wonder y u should.. ....
..

VickJames:
Buhari made a very stupeed statement when he said ministers are not needed. Who submits economic plans, ideas, and manage the ministries?

So, Buhari is trying to say what Adesina did in the agricultural sector was mere noise-making? Or what some Akunyili in the information ministry was mere noise-making?
Is it the ministries where we still have old men with 1970 brains that he is calling technocrats? So, they've been technocrats all these years and all the ministries are more or less dead except with the timely intervention of some ministers who gave many of their jobs to some consulting firms to save them from mass sack.

A ministry without minister is like an army without a commander. They know how to kill, but they don't know who to kill.

When I say the economy is run by someone who lacks the mental capacity to think of the box, they'll say someone is wailing.

TonyeBarcanista:
Cc: Truckpusher Rozayx5 bomsilaga exxel erunz dunsman Nigerianvenom Phockphockman, nwadiuko1, ibokUtoroh, Koded, Ecoterrors, iPrinz20 Aprokoman, OcheJoseph, Dearpreye, Firefire, Francizy, Temitemi1, Hinwazaka Ecoterrors, Dumkem21 Biafranqueen, Mogidi, Mizmycoli, IsraeliAirforce, Candyrain, Ambivert, Rose2014, Provacateur, Opiaoku, NDPVF, Anonimi, Engineerboat, Talktimi, ahaika23, coolestrogue APCSucks Emperortj93 DebateNigeria and all patriots

blym:
This analysis is only applicable in countries that appoint individuals with unquestionable character, work motivating attitude to work for the betterment, development of the nation. . IN Nigeria most ministerial appointments are mainly to compensate individual that helped in overcoming the hurdles of being president or people loyal to the party or president, they aren't chosen base on what they planned to offer the country. .

ellabooz:

You felt threatened by his wits? He is simple a genius in politics analysis so deal with it. Everybody must not be an employee. He is boss already .
TonyeBarcanista I love your piece

Nigeria36:

So, there should be no ministers? Do u know why u are an illiterate? 'Cos u didn't understand TonyeBarcanista's 2nd paragraph, where he highlighted the role of ministers? Do u really know what policy formulation is? Are u sure u know the process? Ministers are policy makers, while civil servants implement those polices, under the watchful eyes of ministers. Merging the two processes will be counter-productive. U are an illiterate.

onismate:
I used to think barcanista was just a good analyst. He left nairaland. The return of tonyebarcanister is more deadly with great analytical spade and wicked punchlines. Keep it up. For those who think the Presidency doesn't visit nairaland or other online forum or blogs, that na lie. I can authoritatively tell you that top Government officials have e_warriors who look out for them.

Splashme:


Constitutionally, the president needs a FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (FEC) for various levels of approvals. FEC is composed of the president and his ministers and others

Barcanista is far more intelligent than you. You are angry with him because he criticises Buhari not because he doesn't make intelligent aguments

mrvitalis:
Tonye... the fact that people actually praise ur analysis shows the level of decay in Nigerian educational system
Let me educate u a little bit
1) a minister is a mere representative of the president in that ministry
2) the president can pass his directives or give instructions based on his manifesto to any ministery WITH OR WITHOUT A MINISTER
3) ministers are only needed when the president wants to reduce the work load on him.... And if the president is not complaining..... I wonder y u should.. ....
..

hinwazaka:

Learn about what you intend to speak about. The constitution mandates that for someone to be made a minister he must meet the same criteria that is mandated for a senator. He must be a member of a political party and must be well known to the political class. So PMB can not make a Perm.sec a minister.

mrvitalis:
Tonye... the fact that people actually praise ur analysis shows the level of decay in Nigerian educational system
Let me educate u a little bit
1) a minister is a mere representative of the president in that ministry
2) the president can pass his directives or give instructions based on his manifesto to any ministery WITH OR WITHOUT A MINISTER
3) ministers are only needed when the president wants to reduce the work load on him.... And if the president is not complaining..... I wonder y u should.. ....
..

TonyeBarcanista:

1. Ministers are not 'mere' representatives. You gotta read
2. The constitution and relevant laws still specified some duties of the minister. For instance, the Attoney-General must give a go-ahead before any Security Agency can prosecute any case. The Petroleum minister is the statutory chairperson of NNPC. The aforementioned roles cannot be performed by the President except he takes charge of the ministries like Obj did.
3. No sane government function without cabinet. Go figure!

Finally, I won't hesitate to ignore you indefinitely should you reply will abusive word(s).