President Muhammadu Buhari has relieved two ministers of their appointments. They are the Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Nanono, and his Power counterpart, Saleh Mamman.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, announced this on Wednesday in Abuja after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
He disclosed that the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abubakar, has been redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, while the Minister of State for Works, Abubakar Aliyu, is to take over as Minister of Power.
The exercise, according to Adesina, will continue in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Adesina who read the President’s speech said because the change was constant, the review has become critical in order to reinvigorate the cabinet to deepen capacity and crystallize legacy achievements.
The administration, according to President Buhari, approaches a critical phase in its second term, hence the need to rejig the cabinet to strengthen “weak areas, close gaps, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good in the country.”
The latest reshuffling comes about a year after the President, in a similar fashion, approved the immediate redeployment of two ministers who swapped their positions.
Those affected are the present Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, and the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Tayo Alasoadura.
Here full text of the statement:
On Wednesday 21st August 2019 the current Federal Executive Council was sworn in after a rigorous retreat to bring returning and new members up to speed on the accomplishments, challenges, and lessons drawn from my first term in office and to emphasize the nine priority areas of government for the second term.
Two years and some months into the second term, the tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review has taken firm roots through sector Reporting during Cabinet meetings and at Retreats.
These significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.
I must commend this cabinet for demonstrating unparalleled resilience that helped the government to navigate the disruption to global systems and governance occasioned by the emergence of COVID-19 shortly after the inauguration.
The weekly Federal Executive Council meeting was not spared because the traditional model was altered.
As we are all aware, change is the only factor that is constant in every human endeavour and as this administration approaches its critical phase in the second term, I have found it essential to reinvigorate this cabinet in a manner that will deepen its capacity to consolidate legacy achievements.
Accordingly, a few cabinet changes, marking the beginning of a continuous process, have been approved.
They are as follows:
Ministers Leaving the Cabinet:
Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and
Engr. Sale Mamman, Minister of Power.
Redeployment:
Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development;
Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of State, Works & Housing assumes office as the Minister of Power.
In due course, substantive nominations will be made to fill the consequential vacancies in accordance with the requirements of the constitution.
I have personally met with the departing members to thank them for their contributions to discussions in the cabinet and the invaluable services rendered to the nation.
Today effectively marks their last participation in the Federal Executive Council deliberations and I wish them the best in all future endeavours.
Finally, I wish to reiterate once more, that this process shall be continuous.
I thank you all and May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.