President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday in Abuja, urged members of his cabinet to work towards achieving the mandate of their ministries or be ready to leave his government.

Mr Tinubu stated this in his address at a cabinet retreat for ministers, presidential aides, permanent secretaries and top government functionaries.

The president reminded the ministers of their responsibility to serve the people who entrusted their mandate to him. 

Mr Tinubu reiterated the commitment of his administration to take 50 million Nigerians out of poverty, stressing that “poverty is not a shameful thing, it is only unacceptable” and “we have to banish it because it is unacceptable.”

He also urged the ministers to focus on their ministries’ progress and develop bold endeavours, stressing that his administration was determined to turn the nation’s population into an asset.

“That is why we established ‘Results Delivery Units’. At the end of this retreat, you are going to sign a bond of understanding between the ministers, the permanent secretaries and myself. If you are performing, there is nothing to fear,” stated Mr Tinubu. 

Hadiza Usman is heading the “delivery units.” 

“If you have any complaint about her, see me,” said the president. “If you are ready to work with her, stay there. Delivery yes! We must achieve it for the sake of the millions of the people.”

But the president warned there would consequences for poor performance.

“If you missed the objective, we review. If no performance, you leave us. No one is an island and the buck stops on my desk. I assure you will have a free hand,” Mr Tinubu stressed. “You must be intellectually inquisitive to ask, how? Why? When? and why it must be immediate?”

The president, who urged ministers and other government officials not to be afraid to make decisions, however, warned them against being antagonistic to their supervisor.

“If they are wrong, debate it. I stand before you and I have clear several occasions and I will be saying today again as the president I can make mistakes,” Mr Tinubu pointed out. “Point it to me; I will resolve that conflict, that error; perfection is only that of Almighty God. But you are there to help me succeed; success I must achieve by all means necessary.”

Tinubu said the country was going through painful reforms and urged the ministers to help move the country forward.

“Better living wages for our workers. We will transform the economy to work for millions of our citizens. We must take 50 million people out of poverty,” Mr Tinubu said. “We must build healthcare that works for all. Look around; don’t be wicked. Look at the standard of education. Look at the classrooms; look at the roads.”

The president added, “We can only spend the money. We will find it. We cannot spend the people. No crime in borrowing.”

(NAN)