By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday announced a minor reshuffling of his cabinet, assigning portfolios to seven newly appointed Ministers and then reassigning duties to four existing Ministers.
At the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today, Mr Buhari charged the new appointees to serve the nation diligently and maintain unalloyed loyalty to the country and his office.
He charged the new Ministers to collaborate with their older colleagues and focus on driving key programmes already initiated by this administration.
The President explained that he reshuffled his team to reinvigorate certain sectors where the government desires to accomplish improved results, urging them “to consider your emergence out of millions of equally qualified Nigerians within the purview of selection from your state, as a call to duty which imposes the obligation to serve the nation diligently and presents to you the unique opportunity to work hard in service to the government and the country.”
“As I assign you portfolios, therefore, I expect you to carefully study your sectors, take wise counsel, reach out to key stakeholders, consult and collaborate with older cabinet colleagues and focus on driving key programs already initiated by this administration. Above all, be loyal to your President and your country,” he added.
Mr Buhari warned all members of the cabinet against corrupt practices, reiterating that public officers must be above board and those caught in corrupt practices would face the full wrath of the law.
“This administration has been in the saddle since 2015 and is now on the home stretch of its second term, as the nation prepares for the 2023 general elections.
“All through, it has vigorously pursued the three main electoral objectives namely: Securing the nation; Diversifying & growing the economy as well as fighting corruption,” he further stated.
President Buhari appointed Ikechukwu Ikoh as the Minister of State for Science and Technology; Umana Umana as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs; Udi Odum as the Minister of State for Environment; Ademola Adegoroye as the Minister of State for Transport; Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub as the Minister of State for Works and Housing; Goodluck Opiah as the Minister of State for Education and Nkama Ekumankama as the Minister of State for Health.
He also re-assigned Adeleke Mamora as the Minister of Science and Technology (formerly Minister of State for Health); Mu’azu Jaji Sambo as the Minister of Transportation (formerly Minister of State, Works and Housing); Sharon Ikeazor as the Minister of State for Niger Delta (formerly Minister of State for Environment) and Gbemisola Saraki as the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development (formerly Minister of State for Transportation).
Adedapo Adesanya