President Bola Tinubu’s former spokesman in the south east, Dr. Josef Onoh, has flaunted what he described as the President’s achievements in the first week of 2014, saying they have been “sweeping.”
Onoh noted that in just one week, the President has been able to demonstrate how fast and decisive a leader could be in matters of national interest, particularly when they are germane issues to a nation in a hurry to overcome challenges.
He stated that in one of the recent events, the Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria in charge of financial system stability, Aisha Ahmed was arrested and detained by the Department of the State Service (DSS) over alleged fraudulent acquisition of shares in Polaris bank, Titan Bank/Union Bank, including how the sum of $300 million was raised to complete the acquisition of Union Bank by Titan Bank.
He explained in a bid to sanitise the financial system, Tinubu through the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) dissolved the board and management of Titan Trust Bank and three others, adding that the dissolution was in response to a report submitted by the Special Investigator on the CBN and Related Entities, Jim Obazee.
According to Onoh: “Mr. President had within the week suspended a Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, over matters that have to do with alleged misappropriation of funds in governance, particularly in the present era of economic crunch when cautiousness is what is required to gain public confidence in government.
“In an intertwined connection, another minister was summoned over a controversial contract scam allegation.”
He further said that President Tinubu pursuant to prudence management of funds reduced his travel entourage and dramatically cut costs on travel matters by 60%, an action he said was in obedience to the public agreement that he should cut cost of governance, particularly while on local and foreign trips.
“Going forward, the president in his zeal to scale up productivity, relieved the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and his Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) CEO counterpart, of their duties.
“It was with the same dispatch that Mr. President ordered for blacklisting of degree certificates obtained within six weeks from universities in the Republic of Benin and went further to announce plans by the federal government to build a new Chinese-built steel plant in Nigeria.
“In the busy week, President Tinubu launched the Nigeria immigration automated passport portal to ease the pressure of citizens obtaining international passports for their travel arrangements.
“He went further to clear the ₦12 billion outstanding for the Super Eagles and other national teams and has begun payment for the wage support benefits to civil servants, while disbursing ₦105.5 billion for 266 road repairs across the country.
“In the international scene, President Tinubu within the week intervened to bring peace in Sierra Leone after the November 2023 failed coup attempt in the West African country.
“Moving forward, he approved the appointment of a new board and management team headed by Jalal Arabi for the National Hajj Commission (NAHCOM), pending confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. The appointment was to ensure hitch-free and seamless 2024 Hajj operations.
“The President mandated the appointees to dedicate themselves to the task of ensuring that operations of the National Hajj Commission are more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of Nigerians.
“In the same vein, the President has approved the appointment of nine qualified Nigerians to serve on the board of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) under the chairmanship of Colonel Aloche Adole.
“Clearly Mr. President has so far upheld his covenant with the people and given hope to the hopeless which is a testament of our renew hope and the major reason we are united to stand on his mandate,” he stated.
