In a significant cabinet shake up that has been the subject of intense discussion and wide speculation for some time now, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday announced what was officially described as “Restructuring of ministries and ministerial portfolios”.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said in a statement that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the immediate implementation of eight far-reaching actions to reinvigorate the administration’s capacity for optimal efficiency in pursuit of his commitment to deliver on his promises to Nigerians.
The eight actions approved by Mr. President, according to Onanuga, are as follows.
The renaming of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development to the 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 are: the Niger Delta Development Commission, the South East Development Commission, the North East Development and the North West Development Commission.
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;
The merger of the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to become the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
The re-assignment of ten (10) ministers to new ministerial portfolios;
The discharge of five (5) Ministers.
The nomination of seven (7) new ministers for onward transmission to Senate for confirmation;
The appointment of Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission;
The appointment of Sunday Akin Dare as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation working from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Ministets reassigned to New portfolios are as follows:
Hon Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, formerly
Minister of State, Education moves to
Minister of State Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa formerly
Minister State, Health now
Minister of Education.
Barr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo former
Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation now Minister of State Works.
Hon. Abubakar Eshiokpekha Momoh, former Minister of Niger Delta Development, now
Minister of Regional Development
Uba Maigari Ahmadu, former Minister of State Steel Development, now Minister of State Regional Development.
Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment now Minister of State Finance.
Sen. John Owan Enoh, former Minister of Sports Development, now Minister of State Trade and Investment [Industry].
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, former Minister of State, Police Affairs, now Minister of Women Affairs.
Ayodele Olawande, former Minister of State for Youth Development, now Minister for Youth Development.
Dr. Salako Iziaq Adekunle Adeboye, former
Minister of State, Environment, now Minister of State, Health.
The ministers relieved of their posts are:
Barr. Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs
Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism
Prof. Tahir Mamman SAN OON, Minister of Education
Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development
Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim Minister of Youth Development.
Newly appointed Ministers and their portfolios are:
Dr Nentawe Yilwatda Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi Minister of Labour & Employment.
Bianca Odinaka Odumegu-Ojukwu Minister of State Foreign Affairs.
Dr Jumoke Oduwole Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (Trade and Investment)
Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development
Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development.
Suwaiba Said Ahmad, PhD, Minister of State Education.
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.He added that all appointees must understand the administration’s eagerness and determination to set Nigeria on the path to irreversible growth and invest the best of their abilities into the actualisation of the government’s priorities.
