EBCIMA President Urges President Tinubu to Reorganize Cabinet to Save Economy

Dr. Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh, President of the Ebonyi Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (EBCIMA), has called on President Bola Tinubu to reorganize his cabinet to address Nigeria’s economic challenges and promote national unity.

Speaking to journalists in Enugu on Monday, Ezeh, who is also a Labour Party chieftain, criticized Tinubu’s administration for suffering from an “announcement effect” due to the abrupt removal of the petrol subsidy, which destabilized an already fragile economy.

Ezeh remarked, “The current president promised to continue from where Buhari left off, and he is indeed making efforts to fulfill that promise.

However, it’s essential to reflect on the lessons we’ve learned from waiting for competence to emerge.

We spent eight years waiting for Buhari’s tenure to end, only to find ourselves facing an even deeper nightmare.

“President Tinubu began his administration on somewhat shaky ground, falling into what economists call ‘announcement effects’ with his initial policy moves.

While many Nigerians wanted an end to the subsidy conundrum, they also desired a well-thought-out process, shared vision, and collective understanding of the pains involved in reform.

Unfortunately, the abrupt removal of subsidies without adequate communication will likely haunt this administration throughout its tenure.”

Ezeh advised that to navigate the current economic crisis, the president should bring in competent professionals and take drastic measures to mitigate the socio-political threats posed by the current hardships.

“Leadership should involve guiding citizens through the dark nights of necessary reforms.

The suffering, tone-deafness of the political class, rampant corruption, and debilitating economic challenges are adversities that may ultimately unite Nigerians.

“President Tinubu has an opportunity to revisit President Obasanjo’s playbook. Obasanjo faced a completely stagnant economy but rallied the best minds from all walks of life. Within a few years, Nigeria bounced back.

We have abundant human and material resources; what we urgently need is a government of national unity.”

Ezeh proposed that such a cabinet should consist of 35 percent technocrats, 45 percent politicians, and 20 percent bureaucrats from across Nigeria.

He further suggested that President Tinubu could benefit from assembling a ‘War Cabinet’ to address the current economic crisis effectively.