Tinubu Assigns Portfolios to 45 Minister-designates Ahead of Monday Swearing-in

•Edun, Finance; Keyamo, Aviation; Badaru, Defence; Oyetola, Transportation; Bagudu, Budget; Umahi, Works; Wike, FCT

Deji Elumoye and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, assigned portfolios to all the 45 minister-designates, whose nominations were recently confirmed by the senate, ahead of their inauguration on Monday.

The assignment of appointees to their respective ministries marked a departure from the past, when portfolios were given to ministers on the day of their inauguration.

Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) praised the allocation of ministries, and identified the positions as largely well suited to the appointees’ abilities and experiences. NECA said the times required the ministers to settled into their various roles quickly and proceed at a fast pace. 

The office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) confirmed Monday as swearing-in date for the ministers, while the date for the ministerial retreat was yet to be fixed.

In the list released by a top presidency official to newsmen at State House, Abuja, former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, was assigned to the works ministry as Minister of Works; Festus Keyamo was given Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development; former governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, was given Minister of Transportation; and Wale Edun was assigned to the finance ministry as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

With Minister of Petroleum Resources, possibly, reserved for Tinubu, as was with past administrations since the Fourth Republic, the ministerial list also included Bosun Tijani as Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; Ishak Salako, Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management; and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Bunmi Tunji-Ojo was appointed Minister of Marine and Blue Economy; Adedayo Adelabu, Minister of Power; Tunji Alausa, Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare; Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development; and Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism.

Doris Anite was given Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation Science and Technology; Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State, Labour and Employment; and Uju Kennedy, Minister of Women Affairs.

On the list also were Abubakar Momoh as Minister of Youth; Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State, Gas Resources; Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources; John Enoh, Minister of Sports Development; Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy; Mohammed Badaru, Minister of Defense; Bello Mattawale, Minister of State, Defense; Yusuf Sununu, Minister of State Education; Ahmed Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development; Abdullahi Gwarzo, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and National Planning.

The president reserved Minister of Environment and Ecological Management for the nominee from Kaduna State, who was yet to be announced.

Nonetheless, Minister of State for the FCT went to Mairiga Mahmud; Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Education, Tahir Maman; Minister of Interior, Saidu Alkali; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate; and Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam.

Others were Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu; Minister of State for Steel Development, Maigari Ahmadu; Minister of Information and National orientation, Muhammed Idris; Attorney of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minster of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev; and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyi Sabi Abdullahi.

The SGF, Senator George Akume, in a statement last night, said the swearing-in ceremony for the ministers, to be conducted by Tinubu, would hold at the State House Conference Centre, Aso Villa, Abuja, at 10am on Monday.

The statement signed by Director of Information, office of the SGF, Willie Bassey, said the incoming ministers were expected to come with two guests each.

NECA Hails Allocation of Ministries, Wants Ministers to Hit the Ground Running

Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) commended President Bola Tinubu for the release of portfolio of his ministers.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja, Director-General of NECA, Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, lauded the announcement of the ministerial portfolios, saying, “We urge that they settle quickly into the difficult task of economic renaissance.”

Oyerinde said it was instructive to note that the ministers were coming at a time when the country was in dire need of deliberate and focused interventions.

He said, “We are particularly impressed with the portfolios assigned to Mr. Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Mr. Solomon Lalong (Labour and Employment); Mr. Nyesom Wike (FCT), and others as we look forward to working with them to drive our economy out of the hole it currently finds itself and also fast-track the total reform of our industrial relations system.

“We hope, most earnestly, that in the coming weeks, the appointed ministers would give urgent attention to constituting the various boards and committees under their purview for the smooth running of the nation and their ministries.

“Nigerians have high expectations and, as such, we urge the appointed ministers not to disappoint, even as we extend our heartfelt congratulations to them.”