…Bianca Ojukwu, Jumoke Oduwole Among 7 New Ministers
In a significant shake-up of his cabinet, President Bola Tinubu appointed seven new ministers, reassigned 10 others, and sacked five members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, citing performance concerns.
Notably, among the newly appointed ministers are Nentawe Yilwatda as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and Jumoke Oduwole, the former Special Adviser on Ease of Doing Business under the Buhari administration, who now takes the role of Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The high-profile appointments also include Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour & Employment and Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who will helm the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development.
Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, wife of the late Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was named Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, while Abdullahi Ata assumes the position of Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Suwaiba Ahmad was appointed Minister of State for Education.
On the other side of the reshuffle, five ministers were relieved of their duties, including Uju-Ken Ohanenye, former Minister of Women’s Affairs; Lola Ade-John, former Minister of Tourism; Tahir Mamman, former Minister of Education; Abdullahi Gwarzo, former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development; and Jamila Ibrahim, former Minister of Youth Development.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, revealed the developments during a media briefing after the FEC meeting.
He noted that the president approved eight key measures to boost the efficiency of his administration and ensure that the government delivers on its promises to the Nigerian people.
Major Changes in Ministries
The Federal Executive Council also greenlit several structural changes within the government, including the renaming of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development to the Ministry of Regional Development, which will now oversee activities across all regional development commissions.
These include the Niger Delta Development Commission, the South-East Development Commission, the North-East Development Commission, and the North-West Development Commission.
In another bold move, the FEC approved the dissolution of the Ministry of Sports Development and the transfer of its functions to the newly established National Sports Commission, aimed at fostering a robust sports economy.
Additionally, the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture were merged to form the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.
“This restructuring aligns with the president’s goal to revitalize government operations and create a leaner, more efficient administrative structure,” said Onanuga.
Reassignments and New Appointments
As part of the reshuffle, Yusuf Tanko Sununu was reassigned from Minister of State for Education to Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, while Olatunji Alausa, previously Minister of State for Health, now serves as the substantive Minister of Education.
Muhammad Goronyo, who previously held the position of Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, was moved to the Ministry of Works as Minister of State. Abubakar Momoh, formerly in charge of Niger Delta Development, now heads the newly created Ministry of Regional Development.
Other significant reassignments include Doris Uzoka-Anite, who moves from Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to the Ministry of Finance as Minister of State, while John Enoh, the former Minister of Sports Development, has been shifted to the Ministry of Trade and Investment as Minister of State.
In a symbolic move, the president also appointed Shehu Dikko as the new chairman of the National Sports Commission, with Sunday Dare, former Minister of Youth and Sports, appointed as Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation.
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, previously Minister of State for Police Affairs, has been reassigned to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs as the substantive minister, while Ayodele Olawande steps into the role of Minister for Youth Development.
In concluding the reshuffle, Onanuga shared that the president expressed gratitude to the outgoing ministers for their service to the country and wished them well in their future endeavors.
Tinubu also urged the newly appointed and reassigned ministers to view their positions as a call to serve the nation, emphasizing the urgency of delivering on his administration’s objectives.
“All appointees must understand that the administration is committed to setting Nigeria on a path to irreversible growth, and they are expected to give their best to this mission,” Onanuga quoted the president as saying.
