The much-awaited cabinet reshuffle of President Bola Tinubu has taken-off, with the sacking of six ministers and scrapping of the Niger-Delta Ministry and the Ministry of Sports Development.
VoL News had reported on Monday, that new ministers will emerge this week.
The newly appointed ministers include Nentawe Yilwatda, who is coming as Minister of Humanitarian, Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Jumoke Oduwole, former Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business is coming as Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Others are Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Labour & Employment; Idi Mukhtar Maiha, is taking over as Minister of the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development.
Others also include: Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, Minister of State Foreign Affairs; Abdullahi Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development and Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State, Education.
According to the Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who announced this yesterday, this is part of a major restructuring of Tinubu’s administration aimed at improving government efficiency.
He revealed that FEC came up with the eight far-reaching actions to reinvigorate the Administration’s capacity for optimal efficiency pursuant to the President’s commitment to deliver on his promises to Nigerians.
The measures include the renaming of the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development to Ministry of Regional Development to oversee the activities of all the Regional Development Commissions. The Regional Development Commissions to be under the supervision of the new Ministry include the Niger Delta Development Commission, the South East Development Commission, the North East Development and the North West Development Commission.
The FEC also approved the immediate winding-up of the Ministry of Sports Development and the transfer of its functions to the National Sports Commission, in order to develop a vibrant sports economy.
Others include the merger of the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to become Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
The President and the Federal Executive Council also approved the re-assignment of ten (10) Ministers to new ministerial portfolios, while five (5) of the Ministers were relieved of the duties.
The President also approved the nomination of seven (7) new ministers for onward transmission to Senate for confirmation, and the appointment of Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission.
Former Minister of Youths and Sports under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Sunday Dare, was appointed as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation, working from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Also, Yusuf Tanko Sununu was moved from the position of Minister of State, Education, to serve as Minister of State – Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
This is just as Olatunji Alausa, former Minister of State Heskth was moved to the Ministry of Education as Minister of Education. Others are Muhammad Goronyo, moved from Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, to Minister of State, Works.
Former Minister of Niger-Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh is now Minister of Regional Development, while the Minister of State Steel Development, Maigari Ahmadu was moved to Ministry of Regional Development, as Minister of State.
Similarly, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite now moved to the Ministry of Finance, as Minister of State, while the Minister of Sports Development, was moved to Ministry of Trade and Investment, as Minister of State – Trade and Investment (Industry).
Minister of State, Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim was moved to the Ministry of Women Affairs, as substantive Minister, and Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande was appointed the substantive Minister for Youth Development. Similarly, the Minister of State, Environment, Salako Adeboye, wad moved to the Ministry of Health, as Minister of State.
The President however relieved the following Minister of their job as Ministers: Uju-Ken Ohanenye – Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John – Minister of Tourism; Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education; Abdullahi Gwarzo – Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; Jamila Bio Ibrahim – Minister of Youth Development.
Onanuga said the President thanked the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their service to the nation, while wishing them the best in their future endeavours.
He then charged the newly appointed ministers as well as their reassigned colleagues to see their appointment as a call to serve the nation.
The appointments come amidst a reshuffle aimed at strengthening his administration’s resolve to address critical issues facing the country.
