Ministerial Screening: I Will Do My Best In Any Ministry — Akpabio

Senator Godswill Akpabio, one of the ministerial nominees has said he would do his best in any portfolio assigned to him by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Akpabio, the nominee from Akwa Ibom State, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen after his screening by the Senate on Wednesday.

The minister-designate expressed his readiness to work with the president in taking Nigeria to the next level in agriculture and industrialisation.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that Akpabio, Senator George Akume and Rep. Emeka Nwajuiba, being members of the National Assembly at one time or the other, were excused from the usual questioning in the exercise which began on Wednesday.

Akpabio, who was the Minority Leader of the 8th Assembly between 2015 and 2019 said “I will do my best to help the president to take Nigeria to the next level.

“By this, we are talking about minimising banditry, increasing our foreign direct investments and putting Nigeria on the threshold of industrialisation.

“It is worrisome that many manufacturing companies have left the country. In Kano alone, more than 15 textile companies have left due to the issue of decay in infrastructure.

“We will close the doors on people exiting Nigeria and open doors to make people come in, especially, the investors.

“I will work with the government on statistics so as to plan because a nation that fails to plan always plans to fail.

“We must know the number of people coming out of our universities and the numbers of children that are being born in our hospitals, to enable us to make proper plans.

“As a minister, I’m ready to work and do my best in any ministry it pleases Mr President to assign me.

“I will represent Nigerians very well now at a larger scale as a minister. I will not change. Wherever I find myself, I will leave the people better than I meet them,’’ he said.

When asked about his opinion on the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the former lawmaker said, “Peace is extremely important there for the benefit of the residents, companies doing businesses there and government at all levels.

“I won’t engage myself in politically motivated projects that have no bearing on the lives of the people.’’

On his current election petition before the tribunal, he said, “If the case in the tribunal goes well, it means APC has more senators.

“However, it is not about me being a senator or minister. It is about the people we represent,’’ he said.

(NAN)