President Bola Tinubu may have taken the bull by the horns by dismantling the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and relocating the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), now under the stewardship of George Akume.
In a departure from the previously announced ministerial portfolios, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs formed in 2008 was conspicuously missing from the portfolios announced by the Presidency on Wednesday.
The NDDC has been plagued by extensive allegations of corruption. In 2020, responding to mounting concerns, the National Assembly established a committee to investigate the NDDC.
President Tinubu’s decision to remove the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and transfer the NDDC to the OSGF may be aimed at tackling the corruption allegations in the organization.
The OSGF will now undertake the role of supervising the NDDC’s financial operations and ensuring the efficient and effective execution of its projects.
President Tinubu’s cabinet reshuffle has also led to the division of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources into two distinct ministries.
Both ministries will be represented by ministers of state from the South South region.
While Ekperipe Ekpo was named as Minister of State, Gas Resources,Heineken Lokpobiri was appointed Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.
Despite the division of the ministry and the appointment of ministers of state, the role of overseeing the nation’s crucial petroleum sector remains unassigned.
THE WHISTLER understands that President Tinubu reserved the portfolio of the Minister of Petroleum Resources for himself, as seen during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Among the other notable appointments are Yusuf Tuggar as the foreign minister, Dele Alake overseeing Solid Minerals, Mohammed Idris as the Information Minister, Festus Keyamo in charge of aviation and aerospace development, and Nyesom Wike heading the FCT Ministry.
The full list of ministers and their portfolios is as follows:
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy: Bosun Tijani
Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management: Ishak Salako
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy: Wale Edun
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy: Bunmi Tunji
Minister of Power: Adebayo Adelabu
Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare: Tunisia Alausa
Minister of Solid Minerals Development: Dele Alake
Minister of Tourism: Lola Ade-John
Minister of Transportation: Adegboyega Oyetola
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment: Doris Aniete
Minister of Innovation Science and Technology: Uche Nnaji
Minister of State, Labour and Employment: Nkiruka Onyejeocha
Minister of Women Affairs: Uju Kennedy
Minister of Works: David Umahi
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development: Festus Keyamo
Minister of Youth: Abubakar Momoh
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation: Betta Edu
Minister of State, Gas Resources: Ekperikpe Ekpo
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources: Heineken Lokpobiri
Minister of Sports Development: John Enoh
Minister of Federal Capital Territory: Nyesom Wike
Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy: Hannatu Musawa
Minister of Defence: Mohammed Badaru
Minister of State Defence: Bello Matawalle
Minister of State Education: Yusuf T. Sunumu
Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Ahmed M. Dangiwa
Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development: Abdullah T. Gwarzo
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning: Atiku Bagudu
Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory: Mairiga Mahmud
Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation: Bello M. Goronyo
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security: Abubakar Kyar
Minister of Education: Tahir Maman
Minister of Interior: Sa’Idu A. Alkali
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Yusuf M. Tuggar
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare: Ali Pate
Minister of Police Affairs: Ibrahim Geidam
Minister of State, Steel Development: U. Maigari Ahmadu
Minister of Steel Development: Shuaibu A. Audu
Minister of Information and National Orientation: Muhammed Idris
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice: Lateef Fagbemi
Minister of Labour and Employment: Simon B. Lalong
Minister of State, Police Affairs: Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim
Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Govermental Affairs: Zephaniah Jisalo
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation: Joseph Utsev
Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security: Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
Minister of Environment and Ecological Management (Kaduna): to be announced.