In a significant cabinet reshuffle, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as the new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction. Yilwatda replaces Dr. Betta Edu, who was relieved of her duties as part of a broader restructuring aimed at optimizing the government’s performance.
By Chimezie Godfrey
In a significant cabinet reshuffle, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as the new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction. Yilwatda replaces Dr. Betta Edu, who was relieved of her duties as part of a broader restructuring aimed at optimizing the government’s performance.
Accompanying Yilwatda in the ministry is Hon. Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, the former Minister of State for Education, who has been appointed as Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
This move comes as President Tinubu officially renamed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, signaling a renewed focus on tackling poverty across the nation.
In a statement from the Presidency, Tinubu announced the implementation of eight significant actions designed to enhance the administration’s efficiency. These include the renaming of several ministries, the reassignment of ministers, and the dismissal of others. The President said, “These actions are in line with my commitment to deliver on my promises to Nigerians, and to set the nation on the path to irreversible growth.”
Among the key changes, the Ministry of Niger Delta Development has been rebranded as the Ministry of Regional Development. The ministry will now oversee all regional development commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission and the South-East, North-East, and North-West Development Commissions. Additionally, the Ministry of Sports Development has been dissolved, with its responsibilities transferred to the National Sports Commission.
Dr. Yilwatda’s appointment is one of seven new ministerial nominations, which include Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment and Bianca Odinaka Odumegu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. The appointments will be sent to the Senate for confirmation.
President Tinubu also reassigned several ministers to new portfolios, including Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, who moved from Minister of State for Health to Minister of Education, and Barr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, now Minister of State for Works.
In his address to the new and reassigned ministers, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of their roles, stating, “This is a call to serve the nation. All appointees must understand the administration’s eagerness and determination to invest in the growth of Nigeria, and they must bring their best abilities to achieve our government’s priorities.”
The President expressed gratitude to the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their service and wished them success in their future endeavors. The ministers discharged include Barr. Uju-Ken Ohanenye, former Minister of Women Affairs, and Prof. Tahir Mamman, former Minister of Education.
The restructuring reflects the Tinubu administration’s effort to streamline governance and create a more effective federal leadership as it focuses on poverty reduction, national development, and economic growth.
