How Splitting Of Ministries Left Workers In Confusion

In a surprising turn of events, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet has expanded to 46 ministers, following what many have described as a change in his stance on the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development.

Initially, 45 ministers had taken their oath of office based on Tinubu’s exercise of executive powers in accordance with the 1999 Constitution’s Section 5 and Section 147(3). However, on July 27, Tinubu submitted a list of 28 nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, followed by a second batch of nominees on August 2. All the nominees were cleared, with the exception of three individuals who faced challenges related to security clearance: Mallam Nasir El-rufai, Stella Okotete, and Danladi Abubakar.

Notably, President Tinubu’s current cabinet is the largest since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999. To provide context, former President Olusegun Obasanjo began with a 42-member cabinet in 1999, later reducing it to 27 before increasing it to 30 by the end of his tenure in 2007. Subsequent presidents had varying numbers of ministers, with the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari appointing 36 ministers in 2015, later increasing it to 42 in 2019.

In this reshuffle, some ministries have been split or renamed, while others remain unchanged. Fifteen ministries retain their original names, including Defence, Education, Federal Capital Territory, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Police Affairs, Steel Development, Information and National Orientation, Justice, Environment, Labour and Employment, Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Power, Transportation, Industry, Trade and Investment, Science, Innovation and Technology, and Women’s Affairs.

However, new ministries and nomenclatures have emerged. President Tinubu has introduced ministries such as Marine and Blue Economy, Tourism, and Ministry of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources. He has also added responsibilities and appellations, including Health and Social Welfare, Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Aviation and Aerospace Development, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Environment and Ecological Management, Water Resources and Sanitation, and Agriculture and Food Security.

This restructuring has led to some confusion among workers in affected ministries. For instance, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Ministry of Transportation are experiencing overlap, with two ministers overseeing aspects of the same ministry. This has led to uncertainty among directors and staff about their reporting structures.

Despite the initial confusion, civil servants have maintained their commitment to their duties and await guidance from their superiors and permanent secretaries. The government is expected to address the organizational challenges arising from the reshuffling of ministries, ensuring a smoother transition in the coming weeks.