By ISMAIL ABDULAZIZ

President Bola Tinubu has tasked the new cabinet ministers to hit the ground running by working hard to turn around the fortunes of the country.

He gave the charge on Monday while addressing the cabinet members at the opening of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.

“We have talents; we have the level of intellectuals and capacity to turn this country around. You and I know that the expectation is high. Therefore we must work hard, commit ourselves and create a buoyant economy that will serve every Nigerian.”

The president charged the ministers to work as a team, stressing that if they stay focused in the discharge of their responsibilities, the country would quickly move forward.

“Every one of you is a member of this team, we can do whatever we want from our areas of responsibility but it all depends on you. If you stay focused, we will all arrive at a better destination and the country will be better for it,” he said.

Tinubu added that the natural endowments of the country must be properly harnessed to make life better for citizens of the country.

“We must unlock the energy and natural resources of this country. We must start to produce for ourselves, dig ourselves out of the woods, focus on education, healthcare, and make social investments that are essential for the development of our people.

“Our priority areas are defined in our economic programmes. Every area is our priority and you belong in the driver’s position to realise and make that priority a fulfilling promise to the entire nation and the continent of Africa.

“We must achieve the economic growth that is expected of us. We must feed our people, we must leverage on what we have and grow more to satisfy Nigerians,” he said.

Tinubu said he would continue to listen to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians and make corrections where necessary, as he enjoined the ministers to be bold in taking decisions that would move the nation forward.

“I am ready to listen. Like I said to the Nigerian Bar Association yesterday, I am ready even for corrections because only God is perfect. Don’t be afraid to make a decision; that’s the problem of leadership,” he said.

The president also said that the challenges confronting the nation like security, unemployment and food security would be addressed in order to alleviate the plight of citizens. (NAN)

•PHOTO: Cross section of Ministers at the inaugural Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday (28/8/23)

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