By Adeyemi Adeleye
A former presidential spokesman Dr Doyin Okupe has commended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to scrap ‘superfluous ministries’ in his cabinet reshuffle.
Okupe, former Director-General of Mr Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation,gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
He said: “President Tinubu has done the needful by his mid-term rejig of his cabinet.
“Scrapping superfluous ministries is in line with removing waste and making government compact and effective, this is commendable.
“For the first time, removal of ministers from the cabinet has not been arbitrary or sentimental, apart from an in-house key performance index report.
“KPMG is also said to be involved in critical performance assessment of the ministers.”
According to him, Nigerians now expect the President and his new cabinet to pull up their boot strings and seriously and comprehensively address the nation’s numerous plaguing issues.
He expressed hope in the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda to reposition the country.
“As I have personally stated in the past, President Tinubu has the capacity and leadership qualities to take Nigeria out of the economic quagmire he met on assumption of office in May 2023,” Okupe said.
NAN recalls that Tinubu on Wednesday sacked five ministers and appointed seven new ones .
He also restructured ministerial portfolios to reinvigorate his administration’s capacity to deliver on his promises to Nigerians.
The sacked ministers include Barr. Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism; and Prof. Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education.
Others are: Abdullahi Gwarzo, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development.
Dr Nentawe Yilwatda was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment; Mrs Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs; and Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Other newly appointed ministers are : Idi Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development Federal Ministry; Mr Yusuf Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State Education.
The President also appointed Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission and Mr Sunday Dare as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation, working from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Tinubu also restructured the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development, which is now Ministry of Regional Development to oversee the activities of all the regional development commissions.
The Regional Development Commissions to be under the supervision of the new Ministry are: the Niger Delta Development Commission, the South East Development Commission, the North East Development and the North West Development Commission.
The President also approved the immediate winding up of the Ministry of Sports Development and the transfer of its functions to the National Sports Commission in order to develop a vibrant sports economy.
Similarly, the President approved the merger of the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to become Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
Tinubu re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios. (NAN)
