A MINISTRY for Niger Delta emerged yesterday in a major restructuring of federal ministries that increased their number from 22 to 28.
New ministries were created from existing ones.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, who took his oath of office before the commencement of yesterday’s Federal Executive Council meeting told State House correspondents that the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta was to properly position it for the task of uplifting the state and status of the Niger Delta region.
The FEC meeting was the first to be chaired by the President in three weeks. It lasted over eight hours.
However, the number of ministers will be 42, two short of the present 44.
The SGF said the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta was to fast-track government’s efforts at resolving the problems of the region and engender youth empowerment there.
He said the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) would now serve as a parastatal under the Ministry of Niger Delta, although with a different source of funding as stipulated in the Act setting up the Commission. The ministry would have a minister who would be in charge of the infrastructural development of the area while the Minister of State would be in charge of youth development and empowerment.
The SGF explained that a committee would be set up to determine how many departments would be under which ministry before the full commencement of the implementation of the new structure within one week.
In a statement explaining the policy thrust of government after the briefing, Special Adviser to the President on Communications, Mr Segun Adeniyi, said the measure was to fast-track and effectively coordinate the implementation of the seven-point agenda of this administration
Under the new arrangement, the Ministry of Energy has been broken into two ministries — Ministry of Power to be manned by a minister and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with a minister and a minister of state— while the present Ministry of Transportation, which is an amalgam of the Ministries of Works, Aviation and Transportation, has been split into the Ministries of Works, Housing and Urban Development; Aviation and Transportation respectively with substantive ministries.
Mr Adeniyi’s statement:
“As part of efforts to fast-track and effectively coordinate the implementation of the seven-point agenda of his administration, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has approved the rationalisation and restructuring of federal ministries.
“A Ministry of Niger Delta has been created to lead and coordinate environmental and youth empowerment policy initiatives as well as reinforce the administration’s commitment to the overall development of the region.
“Similarly, the Ministry of Police Affairs has been restored to give necessary attention to the security imperatives of the nation within the ambit of the seven-point agenda.
“The Ministry of Energy has been broken into two Ministries — the Ministry of Power to be manned by a substantive minister and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with a minister and a minister of state.
“Other adjustments to the current ministerial structure are the restoration to their original concepts of the Ministries of Aviation; Transport; Environment; Works, Housing and Urban Development; Water Resources; and Agriculture and Rural Development.
“Furthermore, the Ministers in the Ministries of Education, Mines and Steel Development, Science and Technology, have been reduced by one each.
“The review of the current structure is predicated on the need to streamline and strengthen the mechanism for service delivery without sacrificing the objectives of the Public Service Reforms carried out at the twilight of the last administration.
“Under this new structure which is expected to engender greater flexibility, direction and focus, there will be 28 ministries and 42 ministers to cover the constitutional requirements for federal character while addressing the issues of equity and affirmative action.
“Other ministries in the new dispensation are: Finance, Health, Justice, Commerce and Industry, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Information and Communications, Labour and Productivity, Youth Development, Women Affairs and Social Development, Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Interior and Federal Capital Territory Administration. The National Planning Commission and National Sports Commission retain the same structure.
“President Yar’Adua has directed all ministers to re-articulate the mandates of their ministries, departments in line with the requirements of the seven-point agenda under the guidance of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Head of Service.
“The next meeting of the Federal Executive Council will hold on Wednesday, September 24, to allow the President enough time for the implementation of the restructuring exercise,” he said.
FEC approves N843.62m contracts
Meanwhile, the FEC yesterday approved contracts worth N843.62 million in the Ministries of Transportation, Interior and the Federal Capital Territory.
In the Ministry of Interior, Council approved the construction of prototype offices of the Immigration Service in Delta, Kano, Katsina, Borno and Bayelsa States and a block of eight number 3 bedroom flats at the Immigration Village in Abuja at N430,003,231 million.
The Council also approved contract for the improvement of water supply scheme at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos in the sum of N290,580,097.
The contract, according to the Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. John Odey, include but not limited to the construction of five new industrial boreholes and provision of suitable pump equipment as well as the replacement of all fire hydrants at different locations in the airport.
For the FCT, Council approved the contract for the maintenance and provision of security of street light installations in the Central and Maitama districts of the FCT in the sum of N123.036 million.
The Council also approved that the FGN bond be issued in the equivalent of the $500 million which is to be sourced from the international capital market.
FEDERAL MINISTRIES
THE OLD
•Culture and Tourism
•Defence
•Education
•Energy (Power), (Petroleum), (Gas)
•Environment and Housing
•FCT
•Finance
•Foreign Affairs
•Health
•Information & Communication
•Interior
•Labour
•Mines and Steel Development
•Transport
•Science & Technology
•Youth Development
•Women Affairs
•Agriculture & Water Resources
•Commerce and Industry
•Justice
•National Sports Commission
•National Planning
THE NEW
•Power
•Petroleum Resources
•Aviation and Transportation
•Niger Delta
•Police Affairs
•Federal Capital Territory
•Transport and Environment
•Works, Housing and Urban Devt
•Water Resources
•Agriculture and Rural Devt
•Education
•Mines and Steel Development
•Science and Technology
•Finance
•Health
•Justice
•Commerce and Industry
•Foreign Affairs
•Defence
•Information and Communications
•Labour and Productivity
•Youth Development
•Women Affairs and Social Devt
•Tourism
•Culture and National Orientation
•Interior
•National Planning Commission
•National Sports Commission
VANGUARD
By Ben Agande
Thursday, September 11, 2008
