By Nnamdi Elekwachi
On Governor Ikpeazu’s New Commissioners
The appointment of the 27 commissioners came both late and at a less-ideal time. Late because after about 7 or 8 months hiatus, the governor came up with a list that only reflected the same old cabinet – though with little changes here and there – Abians are used to now since 1999 in some cases and in others a few years later. That is one. Two is, the state has 17 local councils and yet the governor exceeded this number in his appointments. It is a less-ideal thing given the crying need we have for fixing infrastructure and payment of salaries; and the fact is many ministries, due to financial and budgetary constraints, should have been merged yet we have all this in the name of unbundling.
How do you explain away the fact that Education Ministry now has two commissioners – one for Basic Education and the other Post-basic Education? Won’t there be friction in such ministry? What about cooperatives which should have been merged with the ministry of SMEs or Trade and Investment but yet made a ministry?
Why did we shout when Buhari waited for six months before constituting his cabinet in his first tenure and why did we complain the cabinet was bloated when he nominated 43 persons over and above the 36 states we have in the federation in his second tenure? Do we have funds in Abia with all these duplications to take care of these commissioners and their aides?
Worst was that the governor in exercise of his constitutional duty did not reach out to the womenfolk. Only two or so women made the list. When you consider that Abia State House of Assembly – the legislative arm, that is – has no female lawmaker as presently constituted, you will know that this is yet another gender imbalance and lack of inclusiveness in the executive arm as well. However, I wish the commissioners luck in their endeavours, only that.
Nnamdi Elekwachi
Aficionado
Timbuktu, 2021.