Minister of State designation is constitutional aberration – Keyamo tells Buhari

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has told President Muhammadu Buhari in plain language that it is a constitutional aberration to appoint Minister of State.

This is just as another Minister of state, Rahmatu Tijani outrightly canvassed for the scrapping of the portfolio by the next administration.

Keyamo, who spoke at the valedictory Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, declared that the concept or designation of “Minister of State” is a constitutional aberration “and is practically not working for many so appointed

He thanked President Buhari for enriching his Curriculum Vitae, through the appointment, but noted that some other Ministers of State, have been grumbling and not bold to speak out.

“Successive governments have come and gone and many who were appointed as Ministers of State have not spoken out at a forum such as this because of the risk of sounding ungrateful to the Presidents who appointed them

According to him, it was difficult to assess the individual performances of the Ministers of State since their discretion was shackled under the discretion of the Ministers as any original ideas developed by a Minister of State are subject to clearance by another colleague in Cabinet before they can sail through for consideration by FEC.

The Minister who read from a prepared text, stated,inter alia: “Today, I cannot find the words to express the depth of my gratitude to you for finding me worthy, out of over two hundred million Nigerians, to be nominated and subsequently appointed to serve as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. My curriculum vitae has been greatly enhanced – forever.

“From my very humble beginnings in a small dusty town in Delta State where I was born and raised by my struggling parents, all the way to the Council Chambers at the Presidential Villa where I had the honour and privilege to participate weekly in decision-making for my country in the last four years, it has been like a fairy tale. I give God all the glory