₦airaland Forum

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has proposed the restructuring of the existing ministries even as he is poised to creating new ones.
Following the submission of the first set of ministerial nominees to the Senate, indications have emerged that President Bola Tinubu will restructure some of the ministries of the Federal Government by merging some, creating new ones and scrapping others.

Saturday PUNCH investigation revealed that the decision to restructure the ministries was in line with the recommendations of the Stephen Oronsaye report on the restructuring of the civil service as this paper had earlier reported that Tinubu would implement some of the recommendations in the report.

According to findings, the Federal ministries of Education, Youths and Sports Development, Agricultural and Rural Development, Solid Minerals, Works and Housing, Power; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development are some of those being considered for restructuring. The restructuring of some of the ministries will also give birth to new ministries.

Findings by our correspondents on Friday indicated that there were plans underway to unbundle the Ministry of Education into two; the Ministry of Tertiary Education and the Ministry of Basic Education to be in charge of primary and secondary levels of education.


While it is not clear if the President will appoint two ministers to oversee the new ministries, sources in the civil service noted that the decision to create two ministries would improve the quality of service delivery in the two sectors.

The Ministry of Works and Housing will be unbundled with the Ministry of Works to focus on federal roads and highways, while the Ministry of Housing will be restructured and financed to stimulate economic growth.

It was also gathered that the Ministry of Humanitarian, Social Development and Disaster Management would be restructured into the Ministry of Human Development with social development as part of its functions.


Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Transportation will be unbundled to become the Ministry of Railways and Rail Transport and the Ministry of Waterways and Marine Transportation.

The Ministry of Information will now be known as the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, with the National Orientation Agency now playing a huge role in the dissemination of information to the public.

New ministries of Solid Minerals and Iron and Steel Development will also be created.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development may be unbundled with the Rural Development Department being transferred to the Ministry of Human Development.

Sources in the Presidency also told Saturday PUNCH that the Ministry of Budgeting and National Planning would be similarly restructured with the budgeting aspect merged with the Ministry of Finance, while national planning would be moved to the new Ministry of Statistics that would be created.

Under the current Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the commerce component may be moved to the Ministry of Trade and Investment, while the industry component will be moved to the new Ministry of Employment and Industry.

The Ministry of Solid Petroleum is to emerge from the current Ministry of Petroleum Resources and will be responsible for bitumen and tar sand, while the Ministry of Interior may be restructured to handle identity, birth and death registration as well as immigration issues. The National Population Commission may be moved to the new Ministry of Statistics, while the Ministry of Labour and Productivity will be renamed the Ministry of Employment and Industry.


The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, during an interaction with journalists on Thursday following the submission of the list of ministerial nominees hinted at the restructuring of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.

Earlier, a committee set up by the President had recommended a speedy implementation of the Oronsaye report and the merger of some revenue-generating agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency into the Nigerian Revenue Service in order to enable an efficient collection of all direct and indirect taxes, as well as levies on behalf of the Federal Government.

According to submissions made by a sub-committee of the National Economy Council, the policy will be aided by the passage of an Emergency Economic Reform Bill, which will grant the President special powers to drive the economic reform agenda and support the delivery of sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

But the Oronsaye report established that there are 541 Federal Government parastatals, commissions and agencies (statutory and non-statutory) and recommended that 263 of the statutory agencies should be reduced to 161, while 38 agencies should be abolished and 52 should be merged.

The panel also recommended that 14 of the agencies should revert to departments in ministries.

The government later set up a White Paper Drafting Committee headed by the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, to study the recommendations and to produce a White Paper on the report.

While it is not quite clear that the Tinubu administration will scrap some ministries and agencies in line with the Oransanye report, experts and analysts are of the opinion that the restructuring process will favour some ministries and push toward steady implementation of government policies


Experts give opinions

A professor of Economics at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Sherifdeen Tella, said the merger of ministries and creation of new ones depended on the policy direction and priorities of the government.

He also called for the separation of the works and housing ministry, while a ministry of economic development should be created.

Speaking in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Friday, Tella said, “Certainly, the ministries to be merged or created will depend on the government’s priority. For example, the Ministry of Works and Housing should be separated into two ministries or housing can be joined to another relevant ministry.

“The current Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning should also be disbanded. The Ministry of Economic Planning should be created, while finance and budget planning can be merged.

“They can merge Trade and Investment into the finance ministry but on the condition of efficiency. If it is unyielding, there is no need for a merger.”

On his part, a professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Uyo, Akpan Ekpo, called for the immediate dismantling of the humanitarian ministry and recommended that the education ministry should be separated into higher education and primary and secondary education ministries.
He said the Ministry of Finance and National Planning should be separated and called for the creation of a standalone Ministry of Economic Development.

Ekpo stated, “The government should dismantle the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. There should be a Ministry of Economic Development separate from the Ministry of Finance

“The education ministry should be split into two; a part should be solely for higher education, while another should be created for primary and secondary education.”

A political analyst, Prof Kamilu Fage, urged the President to concentrate on strengthening the ministries for efficient service delivery rather than creating new ones to reward political allies.

He also said there was a need for a reduction in the cost of governance in view of the current economic realities.

Fage said, “One of our major problems in Nigeria is the high cost of governance. We have so many duplicated ministries, which is why the previous government had the Oronsaye committee that came out with the proposal for a merger.

“On the splitting of ministries, you have to be careful not to overstretch issues. We should consider the economic condition of the country and be weary of performance so that we don’t have so many ministries just to pay political supporters. What the President should do is to arrange things in such a way that we will have functional organisations.”

Supporting Fage’s view, a political analyst, Ezenwa Nwagwu, noted that previous mergers of the MDAs by past administrations had not translated into effective service delivery to Nigerians

He said, “It is not about splitting or merging ministries. This is not the first time such a thing is happening. The question is what did we get when past governments did merger and splitting of ministries?

“What the President needs to concentrate on is service delivery outcomes by matching service delivery with resources. If it does not translate to efficient service delivery, it is a waste of time whether you merge or continue with what you have.”

An educationist and National Coordinator, Concerned Parents and Educators Initiative, Mrs Kemi Koleowo, stated that the move to split the Ministry of Education into two was laudable.

She said, “For a long tie, I think the Ministry of Education has become too large for one person to run. We need to separate primary and secondary education from tertiary education to give the desired attention for them to move forward. For a long time, they have been short-changed. When you have a community that is large and not properly attended to, you’ll realise that developments will not get to the grassroots that they are meant to get to.

“In this case, this is a laudable development that they want to put in place. For quite some time, basic education in Nigeria has been bastardised, which is the foundation to prepare students to get into tertiary institutions. This is long overdue and a welcome development.”

Speaking on the development, the Executive Director, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Faith Nwadishi, stated that for years, the body had advocated for a reduction in the cost of governance, adding that the move to create new ministries was wrong.


She noted, “When we advocated for cutting the cost of governance, the past administration tried to do this by merging some ministries. For example, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning were two different ministries in the past and many other ministries like that. Due to this, we have seen that with the merger of some of these ministries in the past, we didn’t get full efficiency. What I would have loved to see before the creation or separation of ministries is that there should have been a study to show that these ministries are inefficient due to being merged, thus, the need to create new ministries because a state of emergency has been declared on a particular ministry.”

Nwadishi stated that the creation of new ministries would call for the need to open offices for more political associates, ministers and junior ministers, who would head them and that was against the plan to cut the cost of governance.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://punchng.com/tinubu-to-split-education-works-housing-other-ministries/%3Famp&ved=2ahUKEwii1--Gq7SAAxWfXUEAHUeJBG8Q0PADKAB6BAgIEAE&usg=AOvVaw1LnBZjq4_KiZ0Eo3FMkHku

A mock ministerial nomination list featuring the likes of Aisha Yesufu, Obi Ezekwesili, Peter Okoye and Charles Oputa is trending online following the ministerial nomination list sent to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

https://www.facebook.com/100067935458066/posts/pfbid031TqbFaibWhkqEBa55SFmLGoQ5L3sqgjkaeUUaqTSU5Fq5z95kEwnaSbApUt4CWrpl/?app=fbl

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Benue State on the map again.
The social media is agog in Benue State with celebration of three students who are indigenes of the State that have just graduated with first class honours in various universities across the country.
While the only lady among them, Kula Benedictta Selumun got a first class degree from Federal University Wuksri, the duo of Tyodzua Lubem Noah and Tile Tersoo John graduated from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi.

https://www./598986020141447/permalink/9948097158563573/?app=fbl


https://www.facebook.com/1575764303/posts/pfbid02XDo5hJAmDe3H8n9KgmEgkSM4tEBYJjpkocgxiq31fSzQovpaNu6HG5KiHmXzMMzYl/?app=fbl

hammerFC:
WAYA THINK CEEC NA ERICA.

It's CeeC picking a fight she can't contend with.

As shared by the about- to- become couple, everything is now set for marriage between the controversial cousins from Benue State. See their pre-marriage pictures.

Ceec: Do you find it hard to mind your business?
Kidd: I do. In this house, there is no business that is not my business.
Ceec: Don't worry, I will teach you before you leave

See more

A boy simply identified as Lubem from Gboko has built motorcycle from the scratch to finish. The motorbike looks wow.

As legal fireworks begin on petitions challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, yesterday, implored aggrieved candidates to allow the judiciary to decide their fate.


Gowon, who was a special guest at the 15th Edition of Punuka Annual Lecture and Symposium, organised in honour of a late Justice of the Supreme Court, Chike Idigbe, urged the petitioners and Nigerians to accept the decisions of the tribunal in good faith.

He said: “As a nation, we have come a long way since our independence in 1960, and we have faced many challenges along the way- to put it moderately.

“It is no secret that the judiciary plays a vital role in nation-building and in keeping us united as a nation.

“The judiciary, in essence, is the guardian of the constitution and the rule of law. The judiciary provides a check on the powers of the executive and legislative branches and ensures that the rights and freedoms of the citizens are protected through the instrumentality of the court.

“The judiciary serves as the bedrock of our democracy, and it is only through a strong, independent and impartial judiciary that we can ensure the protection of our democracy and the advancement of our nation.

“The judiciary has overtime maintained its enviable status as the beacon of hope for our democracy, serving as the balance between every class and truly the hope of the common man.

“As we move forward as a nation, let us not forget the role that the judiciary plays in nation-building, especially the apex court in carrying out its duty of questioning the veracity of the decisions of the lower courts.


“As such we need to allow the apex court, their deliberations and come up with their decisions and as the public to be humble enough to accept their decision as final in order to maintain the sanctity of the judiciary as individuals and institutions.

“This is very important at this stage in view of the post-election litigations that are now going on.
“Let us give the judiciary the opportunity to do that work and let us accept their decision as it is.”
While eulogising the late jurist, who served as a Chief Judge in the defunct Republic of Biafra before he was recalled back to the Supreme Court in 1975, Gowon maintained that his unwavering commitment to upholding justice and the rule of law was a testament to his unflinching character and belief in the nation.

“Justice Idigbe’s life and work on and off the Bench exemplify the ideals of integrity, courage, and service.

“His unwavering dedication to justice and fairness has been a source of inspiration to many, and his legacy will continue to live on for generations to come”, he added.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/05/election-dispute-allow-judiciary-to-decide-gowon-tells-atiku-obi-others-2/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwi_4dbkr5iAAxVhVqQEHZhwCYkQFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3NSTsQlqqWZSISLoL_wjsM

As released on the Facebook page of Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, Governor Alia has dissolved BSU Governing Council and has constituted a visiting panel for the University.

https://www.facebook.com/100000207774944/posts/pfbid025uTdENSbNco84MUmWdngDfAti1FQpzivQDu5tJonePuYSNSVEg342TR1e8XwyKrzl/?app=fbl

Revd. Fr. Ukeyima has organized we what he tagged ' Cook-A-Thon for IDPs at Abegena, near Makurdi in Benue State. The event which involved cooking food brought by the Revd. Fr for the IDPs, was attended by a multitude of people within and outside the State capital.
https://www.facebook.com/comedian109/videos/790700842518144/?app=fbl

JaneYave:
Insensible and very embarrassing to behold

It's well

The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has asked his predecessor Samuel Ortom to eschew fear of witch-hunt if he is not a witch.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary Tersoo Kula, the Governor enjoined the public not to be deceived by the former Governor's outcry.
Governor Alia was reacting to Ortom's allegations of witch-hunt levelled against him by Ortom over the recovery of some vehicles by the Assets Recovery Committee set up by the Alia's administration.
However, there were contradictory outings by the former Governor and his party, the PDP in their sperate attempts to vilify Alia and absorb Ortom of any wrongdoing. While the former Governor Ortom's media aid, Trever Akase posits that the vehicles were seized from a mechanic site belonging to
London Line, a motor company, the Publicity Secretary of PDP in the State Bemgba Iortyom averred that they were actually recovered from a motor park owned by Ortom's Oracle company.

https://www.facebook.com/100013747666497/posts/pfbid02oopS7tqSS6t9tDxQwozneujbG2ww3mWGPJKUASqjCDYghzTFWMYKcMFcpEDwkS7Ll/


https://www./754701334586026/permalink/6602362963153138/?app=fbl

https://www.facebook.com/100049374015700/posts/pfbid02ZQFaHHMmUeYoHoiCg4vRtneJNzFRVfn9aB8cX943p4HJ78Kc57LJyWgwzPW7Sv33l/?app=fbl

Victory662:
The Rev fr might be a fraud after all

What do you mean?

Decomposing corpse, probably of a mad person laying at the Wurukum Roundabout remains unevacuated by the Benue State Sanitation Agency.
Wurukum roundabout is the most strategic location in Makurdi with adjoining entry roads from the Northern part of Nigeria and the Southern part of the country.
THE STENCH IS ACTUALLY UNBEARABLE!!!
https://www.facebook.com/1575764303/posts/pfbid02zkL2nACvRZHmzZKiP2cW87LmGZRnuj3g6fwe4sC3TkUwk2qwEBrjKtUjT5bCcEWql/?app=fbl


https://www.facebook.com/100000894655848/posts/pfbid02rCWpr3i7dA4Bm4z3udxhqrTBdTrX1zDappn2dT1EgBYDSErVVpW2ah2guCeThTfEl/?app=fbl

As shared by a Facebook user, a Benue man named Iorver, like the biblical Samson, has fought back a lion that attacked him on his farm and defeated it. He is however, receiving treatment at a hospital.
https://www.facebook.com/100002908990333/posts/pfbid02Fb1gxRyR8qszohq8BKXqtiuhZNZcgAiHKZKbmiZbLyQg24naPwQ4eNWNCknvAY4Fl/?app=fbl

As shared on the Facebook page of Queen Amina, a Nigerian teacher has dumped his girl friend after a three-day chart that showed her chatting without coma, question mark and full stop.

VenumX:
Why can't you say things like :

You should have invented something by now

You should have discovered a way to defeat the white man's patriarchy by now.

Nothing like the above. Marriage is the only ultimate goal of zoo people cause they can't think past their groin region...Yet, most of you are too broke to afford a successful one.

Shame.

Babies on this Forum.

crossfm:
You people don't understand the politics playing out in Benue state.The examination is a game plan to put another tiv man as a VC in BSU.

The governor is a biased triabalist we all know.Building house's for his chief and ignoring another.

They should continue. You can all see the reason why Benue state will remain backward.

The idoma people are been neglected, we all know they are the smart ones in the state.

Who told you the Idomas are smarter than the Tivs?

You are old enough to be married with children if you once used this lantern.

The Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly has set up a three -man committee to investigate the 23 Local Government Chairmen in Benue State.

The Management of the University of Calabar has announced the termination of the appointments of no fewer than 20 Graduate Assistants drawn from across various Departments in the Institution.

Separate letters of termination of appointment signed by the Registrar, Mr Gabriel O. Egbe indicate that the reason for their layoff is because the affected staff are in contravention of Section 3.9.3 (iv) of the 2014 Regulations Governing the Condition of Service of staff of the University of Calabar.

It is worth noting that the aforementioned section stipulates that "if a Graduate Assistant fails to obtain a Master's degree after four (4) years, the appointment of the said staff shall be terminated".

All affected staff are said to have spent between five to nine years post-appointment without evidence of having acquired a Master's degree within the period of their engagement.

The affected staff whose termination of appointment is with effect from June 6th, 2023 include; the Department of Curriculum and Teaching - Nkanu, Celestine Uno, Samson, Cyprian Ushie and Chukwu Chukwe Agube.

Also affected are; Adie Anthony Unimke of the Department of Geology, Nnenna, Williams Afamuefuna of Anatomy; Okoro, Bernard Chibueze of Microbiology; Eze Ohara Enyinyi of Physics; Udo, Nsibiet Enefiok of Mathematics; Udeze, Leonard Chinedu of Computer Science; Adie John Betiang of Vocational Education; Ikpo Patrick Andelehe of Social Science Education and Edet, Itam Ben of Human Kinetics.

Others are, Arihi, Blessing Ebere of Music; Baba, Ganiyu Olosasa of Crop Science; Okpe, John Ogbang of Forestry and Wildlife Resources Mgt.; Georgeline Elohor Akporume of Agric Economics; Ucheji, Ojuigo Nancy of Mechanical Engineering and Onwe, Peter Daffin of Electrical & Electronics Engr. as well as, Adah Pius Obua and Samuel Edem Okon-Edem, both of Genetics & Biotechnology.

The affected staff are further advised to return all university property in their possession to their respective Heads of Departments and tender evidence of being cleared of any indebtedness by the Bursary and the University Librarian before their final disengagement
Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.unical.edu.ng/&ved=2ahUKEwjGoM7S1dH_AhXTTkEAHSN4B7cQFnoECAkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2fYQpjwRHJyc5c7AOcDVIr

Nigerian politician and social media personality, Senator Shehu Sani has taken to his Facebook page to share the picture he took with his Lookalike sons to celebrate this year's father's day.

As a governor, all you have to do is approve everything as allocation to yourself, and appointees and go to court to restrain your successor from probing you. That's what is called ortomatism.

Former governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom and his then deputy, Benson Abounu have dragged the Benue state government before a Makurdi High Court over the Asset Recovery Committee recently set up by the Governor Hyacinth Alia led administration.


The suit came on the heels of the fear being expressed in several quarters that the Assets Recovery Committee is targeted at the erstwhile governor, his then deputy and other members of the previous administration.

The duo are seeking the court to determination whether the property legitimately allocated to them as entitlements and remuneration could still be considered as state government assets.


Joined in the suit is the Governor of Benue State, Benue State Government and chairman of the Committee Mr. Hingah Biem (for himself and on behalf of members of Assets Recovery Committee as first, second and third defendants respectively.


In Suit No: MHC/199/2023, filed by Mr. Douglas Pepe for the plaintiffs, former governor Ortom and Mr.Abounu are seeking a determination of court whether or not by the combined effect of sections 5(2), 44, 318(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the executive actions and decisions of the governor and Government of Benue State taken by Ortom and Mr. Abounu and the State Executive Council, in good faith before May 29th, 2023, were valid.

The Plaintiffs are also seeking a determination of court “whether or not the Governor of Benue State is not bound by the constitutional approvals made by his predecessor.”

The Plaintiffs further seek a determination of court whether the Assets Recovery Committee set up by the present Governor of Benue State and headed by Mr. Hingah Biem has powers to interfere with their rights to own property vested on them by the Benue State Government at all material times or without following due process.

The Plaintiffs are seeking the following reliefs: “A declaration that by the combined effect of sections 5(2), 44,318(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the executive actions and decisions of the 1st and 2nd defendants taken by the plaintiffs and the State Executive Council, in good faith before 29/05/2023 were valid.

“A declaration that the Governor of Benue State is bound by the constitutional approvals made by his predecessor (the 1st plaintiff) acting with the State Executive Council.


“A declaration that title in former government property duly transferred and vested in private citizens, including the plaintiffs for service to the State or as part of their entitlements/remuneration

cannot still be considered as government property after the date of transfer of the title.”

They further seek “a declaration that the Assets Recovery Committee set up by the Governor of Benue State and headed by Hingah Biem has no power to interfere with their rights to own property legitimately vested on them by the Benue State Government at all material times at all or without following due process.”

They are also seeking an Order of injunction restraining the defendants, by themselves, agents, successors or privies, from violating the plaintiffs’ individual and collective rights to own property validly vested on them by the Benue State Government.

A date has not been fixed for hearing of the matter.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/06/assets-recovery-ortom-abounu-drag-benue-govt-to-court/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwjnlsa_zcT_AhWJiFwKHS17AEoQ0PADKAB6BAgIEAE&usg=AOvVaw1kchpsMtz7usgFcEkUe_5C

mrvitalis:
You need to form a committee to recover asset stolen from the last adminstration ?

What exactly is the job of civil service ?
You gave them official cars abi ?

Ministry of xxxx had xxxx amount of this and that ...perm sec where are they who took what n what ,you have 36 hours to compile the least of who took everything n mail to me ....this director and few staffs .... approach our courts gets an order to collect those properties within 72 hours
Call police to enforce the court order

No noise straight up action

The recovery task may involve all other government assets including Benue Cement Company, now Dangote Cement, Taraku Mills, among others.

sreamsense:
At times, it is better to stay off politics and create your own wealth like Dangote, Billgate and many others to enjoy your wealth. Venturing into politics without knowing how to play it may end up making one becomes poorer and surrounded by insecurity than expected. If you enter into politics, never be power drunk; spread wealth and penetrate to the heart of ordinary citizens for future votes and trust. The moment opposition takes over, it may spell doom for immediate ex-governor in term of probing which in some circumstances may lead to loosing more wealth than expected when new government takes over everything in sight

But these assets belong to the government. I don't think the committee members would venture into the private properties of the former government officials. How can you use government funds to procure vehicles and decide to pack all of them with you while leaving office?