By Salif Atojoko
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sacked five ministers, appointed seven new ones and restructured ministerial portfolios, a step believed to reinvigorate his administration’s capacity to deliver on his promises to Nigerians.
Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, made the announcement while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
The ministers sacked include Barr. Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism; and Prof. Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education.
Others are: Abdullahi Gwarzo, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development.
Tinubu also appointed seven new ministers and assigned portfolios to them, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The new minister-designates include: Dr Nentawe Yilwatda was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment; Mrs Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, Minister of State Foreign Affairs; and Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Others are: Idi Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development Federal Ministry; Rt. Hon. Yusuf Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State Education.
The President also appointed Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission and Mr Sunday Dare as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation, working from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Tinubu also restructured the Ministry of Niger Delta Development, which is now 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 President 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.
Similarly, the President approved 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.
Tinubu re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios.
Dr. Yusuf Sununu, formerly Minister of State, Education is now Minister of State Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, while Dr. Morufu Alausa, Minister State, Health, is now Minister of Education.
Barr. Bello Goronyo, Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, is now Minister of State Works and Hon. Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Niger Delta Development, is now Minister of Regional Development.
Uba Ahmadu, Minister of State, Steel Development, is now Minister of State Regional Development, while Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, is now Minister of State Finance.
Sen. John Enoh, Minister of Sports Development, is now Minister of State, Trade and Investment (Industry), while Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of State, Police Affairs, is now Minister of Women Affairs.
Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development, is now Minister for Youth Development, and Dr Salako Adeboye, Minister of State, Environment, is now Minister of State, Health.
The President thanked the outgoing members of the FEC for their service to the nation and wished them the best in their future endeavours.
He 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.
He urged them to invest the best of their abilities into the actualisation of the government’s priorities. (NAN)
