The newly appointed Minister of state for Works and Housing, Honourable Umar Ibrahim El – Yakub has resumed office on Wednesday 13th July, 2022.
During the handing over and taking over ceremony which took place at the conference hall of the Ministry headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja, El – Yakub who expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari pledged to work assiduously with the Honourable Minister Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola to ensure the sustainability and consolidation of the programmes and projects of the Federal Government by keying into the existing mandate of the Ministry and following in the footsteps of his immediate predecessor Mua’zu Jaji Sambo.
He said, “I will work in line with the existing mandate of the Ministry to ensure that there is sustainability and consolidation of the programmes and projects of government, I will ensure that I contribute my best to the success of the Ministry and the country as a whole”.
The Minister extolled the importance of Infrastructure to the development of any nation. He said infrastructure brings people out of poverty, open the space for business by easing the movement of goods and services thereby improving the economy and living standards of the people.
He praised the Federal government for the tremendous road and housing projects across the country noting that some of them were initiated and abandoned by previous administrations.
In his remarks the immediate past Minister of state for Works and Housing, Mr Mua’zu Jaji Sambo described the Federal Ministry Works and Housing as very critical to the development of the country because of the role it plays in the development of road and housing infrastructure which are central to development of other sectors such as mining, agriculture, petroleum, health and general wellbeing of the people.
He praised the Buhari administration for the outstanding achievement it had recorded in Infrastructural development.
He expressed profound gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the opportunity to work with the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN whom he described as an exemplary leader from whose exceptional knowledge and depth of experience he had benefited.
Engineer Sambo who described the new Minister of state as a good friend who is simple, straight forward and unassuming, assured him of a healthy working relationship with Mr. Fashola, the Permanent Secretary and Directors of the Ministry.
He expressed appreciation to the Directors and staff of the Ministry for the cooperation and support given to him while working with them and wished the the Minister success as he assumes office.
In his opening address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali described the occasion as one of mixed reactions because though the incoming Minister had been a friend of many decades, the support, guidance and advice of the outgoing Minister would be greatly missed. He wished Engineer Sambo success in his new office as the Honourable Minister of Transportation.
The Permanent Secretary pledged his support and that of the Directors to the new Minister of State. ” You have some of the best professionals that will work with you to achieve the mandate of Mr President”, he added.
The Director Human Resource Management of the Ministry, Aliyu Abdullahi who gave the vote of thanks, thanked Almighty God for the opportunity to work with the former Minister of State and the appointment of the new one. He said, ” Wenin the Ministry are fortunate to have worked with the outgoing Minister had lucky for the coming of the Minister os State, we pray God to guide them.”
Before his appointment as the Honourable Minister of state for Works and Housing, Honourable Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub was the Senior Special Assistant to Mr President on National Assembly Matters, and was a Member of the National Assembly.
