President Bola Tinubu has been commended for appointing a medical doctor as a Minister of State for Environment as the performance of Dr. Iziaq Salako in the role since appointment about six months ago has been described as impressive.
Speaking at the weekend in Abuja during an official decoration of Salako as the Patron of the Association of Doctors Unite for Tinubu, the National Coordinator of the association, Dr. Christopher Enoch said members of the association both home and in the Diaspora could not but commend the President for finding a jewel who happens to be a medical doctor to enforce his agenda in Environment sector.
Enoch said the Minister of State for Environment within the time he has spent so far has shown to be a great ambassador of medical practitioners in the country and as such he could not but be recognized by fellow professional colleagues.
He said the award presented to Salako was in recognition of the his sterling performance within a short period of his appointment as a Minister of State for Environment.
He further stated that “In line with the mandate of the National Chairman of our great Party, and the entire members of this Association, we humbly request that, you oblige us to be a patron,” insisting that the request is not only because the Minister is a medical doctor by profession but because of “his passion in promoting good governance, democratic values as well as his commitments in the environmental sector.”
He also highlighted some of the activities and achievements of the association which include general medical outreaches across the 36 states of the Federation and FCT, enlightenment campaigns on the eradication of the menace of drug abuse and social vices in the society as well as health education and rape.
Responding the Minister of State for Environment expressed gratitude to the Almighty for providence, President Bola Tinubu on his appointment as Minister of State for Environment and thanked his professional colleagues for the recognition, adding that: “I am happy and pleased to accept to be a patron of our professional body and I assure you that my doors are open to ideas for national growth and development”.
The Minister also assured his support towards achieving the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Tinubu, as he described the Association as one of the most responsible, responsive, selfless, skilful, trustworthy team for national cohesion and development of mankind.
He further described medical doctors as influential people and opinion leaders, adding that “as medical doctors, we have influence and we should use this level of influence to escalate the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration as well as its laudable policies and achievements.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu do not joke with the issues of medical doctors as a former Governor of Lagos State, he was the first Governor to introduce labarotary coat allowance in Lagos State and now, as President of Nigeria who has passion for the medical profession, he appointed eight medical doctors in his cabinet.
The Minister, assured the association that the Ministry would achieve the mandate of Mr. President on six key priority areas as related to environment out of the eight points Economic Agenda of Mr. President.
Other members present were the National Secretary, Dr. Abubakar AbdulRahman Azare, Dr. Maureen Umeakuewulu, Dr. Zailani Abubakar Isa, Dr. Mohammed Abdullahi, Dr. Emmanuel Akpanobong among others.
The Association is a professionals body, registered as a support group of the ruling Party (APC) in 2020 and also registered as an entity with CAC in 2019.
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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