Several ministers-designates have disclosed willingness to work for free for the nation follow president Muhammadu Buhari's recent pronouncement that the country is broke.      

Some of the ministers who said this include Mr. Adebayo Shittu and Professor Isaac Adewole.

“It is an issue of national service. There is nothing too much to sacrifice. If that is what our situation in Nigeria demands, then we must put ourselves up selflessly. We cannot say because of selfishness, we cannot work selflessly," Shittu said.

“With my background as somebody from a very humble family, I know what poverty is and I have been experiencing it. I have been dogged in conforming to the dictates of politics and poverty. There is nothing too much to sacrifice for the service of our people.”

Adewole, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan also said similar thing.

“It is a great honour to serve one’s fatherland and I can tell you Prof. Adewole is ready to serve Nigeria without collecting salaries.

“Everything is not about money. It is a privilege and a great honour to serve. This is what he was doing at his former school. He was paying some teachers employed to complement government’s efforts.

The past governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, also said he did not accept to be a minister for personal and pecuniary gains.

Another minister-designate, Mr. James Ocholi, said he will not run away from challenges.

He said, “I will not run away from challenges. If the first challenge in the new assignment is to solve the financial crisis of the federation, I will be willing to devote time and attention to solving it before any other national issue.”


Punch