President Bola Tinubu approved a reshuffle of his ministerial cabinet, merging two ministries into one. This decision emerged during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, as confirmed by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesperson.
Scrapping of Ministries
Onanuga stated that President Tinubu has dissolved the Niger Delta Ministry and the Ministry of Sports Development. In their place, he introduced a new ministry focused on regional development to oversee various regional commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission, and North East Development Commission.
“The National Sports Commission will take over the role of the Ministry of Sports,” Onanuga noted. Additionally, he confirmed the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy, saying, “The FEC also approved the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy.”
Background of the Reshuffle
Pressure mounted on President Tinubu to reorganize his cabinet amid concerns that some ministers were underperforming. Last month, Onanuga announced that a cabinet reshuffle was on the horizon.
At a press conference in Abuja, Onanuga conveyed the administration’s frustration over public awareness of its achievements. He said, “The President has expressed his desire to reshuffle his cabinet, and he will do it. I don’t know whether it will happen before October 1, but he will surely do it. That is all I can say for now, as no timeline has been provided.”
Call for Better Communication
Onanuga further emphasized the need for ministers to actively promote the administration’s initiatives. “At the last Federal Executive Council meeting, the President instructed all ministers to actively promote the administration’s activities,” he stated. He pointed out that some ministers have been reluctant to engage with media platforms, urging them to improve their communication.
“The feeling out there is that the government is not doing enough, and the government has been doing a lot. And it is up to them to go out there and blow their own trumpet. They should go out there and talk about what their ministries have been doing.”
