Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
President Olusegun Obasanjo Wednesday swore in six newly-appointed ministers and shocked a number of his cabinet members with sweeping changes in the composition of the council.
President Olusegun Obasanjo Wednesday swore in six newly-appointed ministers and shocked a number of his cabinet members with sweeping changes in the composition of the council.
In line with last year's decision of the Federal Executive Council to downsize the ministries from 27 to 19, he redeployed many ministers, changed the nomenclature of some and raised the number of ministers to three in a few ministries.
Altogether, there are 19 ministries and three agencies under the Presidency, namely the Federal Capital Territory , newly created National Sports Commission and the National Planning Commission which are to be manned by ministers of cabinet ranks.
The new ministers are Dr. Adewumi Abitoye, Arch. Mike Onolememem, Mr. Bala Mohammed Borodo, Alhaji Inkra Aliyu Bilbis, Chief Desmond Akawor and Senator Abdallah Wali.
Though none of the old ministers was sacked in the massive shake-up, only the ministries of finance, justice, health, science and technology, labour, and women affairs had no changes either in the name and number of ministers.
The ministries of education, foreign affairs and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had one minister of state each added to their stable, while they had their names intact.
Also in the shake-up, six substantive ministers had their nomenclatures changed to ministers of state in the various ministries where they were redeployed. They are the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who is now the Minister of State (aviation) in the Ministry of Transportation, former Minister of Industry, Amb Fidelis Tapgun now Minister of State (Industry) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, now Minister of State, Ministry of Interior.
The others include former Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Senator Lawan Gana-Buba, now Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, former Minister of Communications, Engr. Olufemi Anibaba, now Minister of State, Ministry of Information and National Orientation and that of Intergovernmental Affairs, Dr (Mrs) Grace Ogwuche who was moved to Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources as the second Minister of State.
President Obasanjo had set the tone when he announced that "some of you who have been referred to as ministers will be referred to as ministers of state, but nothing will change in your emoluments and privileges."
In the same vein, three ministers of state got elevated as substantive ministers. They are the former Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and son of late head of state, Amb Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi who is now substantive minister in the same ministry, former minister of state, Ministry of Petroleum, Dr. Edmund Daukoru who now heads the new Ministry of Energy and former Minister of State, Water Resources, Mrs. Salomey Jankada who is now Minister of Youth Development.
The Ministry of Education had one of the new ministers, Dr. Adewumi Abitoye posted to it as the second minister of state. Also, the Ministry of Transportation had its number of ministers increased by one with the assignment of another new minister, Mallam Habibu Aliyu as Minister of State (water transportation).
Some of the changes are Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Prof. Joy Ogwu, along with the Minister of State in the ministry, Alhaji Abubakar Tanko retained their positions. They are now to work with the former Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Sen. Lawan Gana-Guba as the second minister of state.
Ministry of Energy - former Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Edmund Daukoru is the substantive Minister in the ministry while the former Minister of State in the Ministry of Power and Steel, Alhaji Ahmed Abdulhamid is the Minister of State in the ministry.
Ministry of Mines and Steel Development - Prof. Leslye A. Obiora retains her position as minister in charge of the ministry while one of the new ministers, Mr. Bala Mohammed Borodo is its Minister of State.
Ministry of Information and Communications - Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr) is the substantive Minister in the ministry while Engr. Olufemi Anibaba is the Minister of State. The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun retains his position.
Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources - Alhaji Adamu Bello retains his position as the substantive minister along with his former Minister of State, Otunba Bamidele Dada, who is now the Minister of State 1. Former Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Presidency, Dr. (Mrs.) Grace Ogwuche is the second Minister of State in the ministry.
Ministry of Environment and Housing - Chief (Mrs.) Helen Esuene, formerly in charge of Ministry of Environment retains her title in the new ministry while Alhaji Inkra Aliyu Bilbis, one of the new ministers, will serve as the Minister of State in the ministry.
Ministry of Labour - Dr. Hassan Mohammed Lawal remains the sole minister in the ministry. Ministry of Youth Development - the minister in the new ministry is the former Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources, Chief (Mrs.) Sarah A. Jankada.
Prof Babalola Borishade remains the minister in the enlarged Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation. President Obasanjo announced that a new Minister of State will be announced soon for the Ministry. Ministry of Women Affairs - Mrs. Inna Maryam Ciroma remains the minister, as there was no change.
In The Presidency, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai retains his portfolio as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). But one of the new Ministers, Chief Desmond Akawor is the Minister of State in the Ministry of FCT.
Also, former Minister of Sports and Social Development, Alhaji Bala Bawa Ka'oje is the new Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission. One of the new ministers, Senator Abdallah M. Wali is the Minister/Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission.
President Obasanjo asked the new Ministers to "bring in new invigoration, new dynamism and new energy into the working of the Council. We are running the last lap. And if you want to succeed in a race, you take the last lap more seriously than the first. There is no letting up or letting down. We will go on full steam ahead."