20110525
Xinhua
LAGOS, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan expects a new federal cabinet two weeks after his inauguration, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

The Nigerian leader said this on Tuesday in Lagos during an audience with a delegation of General Electric (GE) Company led by the Vice Chairman, John Rice, at the State House, Marina.

He said the time would have been shorter, but for the fact that the new National Assembly would come on stream only on June 6.

He reiterated his determination to make his four-year mandate meaningful to the citizens.

"I want the next four years to be very beneficial to Nigerians and for effective delivery of democracy dividends and not for talking," he told his audience.

"I promised myself to pick the few things I can do and say that these are what I have done," he added.

The president identified power and rail transportation as crucial to the transformation of the economy, saying without railways, Nigerian roads will not last.

He said his administration's plan was to link the rail system to anywhere a major industry like cement factory was located, adding that the arrangement would reduce the pressure on roads.

The Nigerian leader expressed interest in GE's preparedness to train Nigerians and provide infrastructure for the country's rail system.

He urged the company to establish a maintenance center for electricity turbines and transformers in the country that would serve as a hub for the West African sub-region.

Earlier, Rice congratulated Jonathan on his election, saying his company was prepared to deepen and fast-track the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on oil and gas, rail, energy as well as health care signed by the two countries in 2009.