Following the announcement of portfolios for the newly appointed forty-three (43) ministers, President Muhammadu Buhari has created five new ministries.
According to the list read by President Buhari on Wednesday at the swearing-in ceremony for ministers-designate, the five new ministries were created. These include:
- Ministry of Police Affairs
- Ministry of Special Duties/Intergovernmental Affairs
- Ministry of Aviation
- Minister for Humanitarian Affair, Disaster Management and Social Development
- Ministry of Power
The details:
Ministry of Police Affairs: The ministry was a standalone ministry during the administration of former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. However, upon President Buhari’s assumption in his first term, he merged the ministry with the Ministry for Interior to have a larger Interior ministry with a minister in charge. Meanwhile, the ministry has been returned as a stand-alone.
[READ ALSO: President Buhari assigns portfolios to all 43 ministers]
Ministry of Special Duties/Intergovernmental Affairs: The ministry is newly created by President Buhari, and the duties and areas of coverage of the ministry are still not publicly clear. Concerns are already being expressed regarding what the ministry would represent when there is an existing ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ministry of Aviation: This was carved out of the MInistry of Transportation. While under the ministry, the portfolio was being overseen by a minister of state. However, the President has now separated it as a stand-alone ministry. Hence, the ministry of aviation is now a full-blown ministry with a substantive minister.
Minister for Humanitarian Affair, Disaster Management and Social Development: Similarly, this is also a new ministry just created by the President. Though the duties and areas of coverage have not been clearly spelt out, it is assumed as the name suggests will oversee emergency management, humanitarian issues and so on.
Ministry of Power: Under Jonathan’s administration, Minister for Power was equally a stand-alone ministry. However, President Buhari merged the ministry with works and housing under the supervision of former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola. With the numerous power challenges round the country, the President has succumbed to pressure to have the power duties stand alone as a ministry.
During the ministerial inauguration, President Buhari announced Saleh Mamman as the new minister of power.
Recall that At Fashola’s ministerial screening, Rochas Okorocha, former Imo governor, said the former Governor started having grey hairs when he was handed three ministries. Okorocha further stated that the three ministries are too large to be handled by one person.
“I thought the three ministries are too large to be handled by one person. Look at my friend now. He is having grey hairs at a young age,” Okorocha disclosed.
However, concerns are already being raised as to why the President would take power from Fashola having spent the first four years to understand the perennial problems bedeviling the sector.
[READ ALSO: Fashola stripped off power, as Adamu-Adamu, Ngige, others retain portfolios]
