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Nigerians expect changes as president forms cabinet

Xinhua, November 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari formed his cabinet on Wednesday, 165 days after he took office.

The appointment of ministers ended six-month uncertainty in the economy which locals say almost brought everything to a stand-still.

Inflation had set in, going almost 10 percent. The national currency, Naira, was getting weak and growth of the gross domestic product ran at just 2.35 percent.

The new cabinet comprised technocrats and bureaucrats, selected from all 36 states in the most populous African country.

The Nigerian leader kept to his words by pruning the number of ministries in his administration by either scrapping or merging almost 10 offices.

To start with, on Tuesday, Buhari fired 17 federal permanent secretaries in a move to overhaul the civil service. He immediately approved the appointment of 18 others to replace them.

He reiterated his decision to head the oil ministry, the country's major source of income.

The oil sector in Nigeria has been flagrantly mismanaged over the years, giving room for gargantuan corruption to rise and rise.

"But now that the president is here to supervise the oil ministry, there is hope for change. The days of corruption are numbered and we shall move on as a great nation," said Olawale Kuponiyi, a political analyst.

In an interview with Xinhua, the analyst said Nigerians waited patiently for six months to see the "agents of change" that the president would bring to his team.

Local people believe the appointment of some familiar names and popular figures who had proved to be "good hands" while previously serving the West African country in various capacities would ensure the much-needed changes, a mantra through which the president and his party gained power in the general elections held in March.

"In some climes, the wait was unnecessary. But in Nigeria, looking back at the situations we have had before, waiting so long to appoint ministers has become very necessary because they will be the drivers of the economy," said Chinonso Okafor, a lecturer at the Abia State University in Nigeria.

"I believe the presence of ministers will create the space for greater policy engagement," said Nigerian Senate leader, Abubakar Bukola Saraki. Endit