Nigerians express discontent over president's large cabinet

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria

Nigerians voiced discontent on Monday over the extensive cabinet formed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

A total of 45 ministers were sworn in on Monday in the nation's capital, Abuja, to officially assume office.

However, citizens have criticized the president's large cabinet, citing concerns that it will impose a heavier burden on the country's ailing economy.

"The cabinet is too large compared to what previous presidents had. The implication of this is that our country will be spending more on recurrent items including payment of salaries of 45 ministers, their aides, servicing their vehicles and running cost at a time Nigeria is battling with economic downturn, huge external debt," Musa Njadvara, an economist, told Anadolu.

He said Nigeria currently spends three-quarters of its annual budget on running of government, wages, and allowances.

Chukwudi Odoeme, a professor of law in Abuja, said the country's constitution provides for each of the 36 states and federal capital territory to produce a minister in the cabinet.

He said the cabinet could have been less than 45 if the president has applied the constitutional provision.

"The number of the cabinet is quite large and unreasonable," he told Anadolu. He said the president merely rewarded those who contributed to his success in the Feb. 25 presidential election.

Tinubu, while conducting the swearing-in of the ministers, acknowledged Nigeria faces daunting challenges that require public officials with integrity and capacity.

"The challenges we face today are very daunting. We have the opportunity to implement overdue reforms that will bring peace and prosperity to our people. We have to do the job to meet the expectations of our people," he said.

Nigeria, one of Africa's largest economies, is currently grappling with issues such as inflation, rising external debt, and corruption, all of which experts assert are impacting the nation's economic growth.