Abuja, Nigeria – June 12, 2024: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has concluded plans for a significant shake-up of his cabinet, which includes appointing new ministers and establishing a new ministry dedicated to livestock development, according to sources from Daily Trust.
The proposed Ministry for Livestock Development will emerge from the current Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This strategic move aims to advance the Nigeria Livestock Master Plan, inaugurated last August, which seeks to bolster the livestock sector that contributes significantly to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
A source close to the presidency indicated that the new ministry will play a crucial role in addressing the persistent farmer-herder clashes that have severely impacted food security and resulted in significant loss of lives and property. The ministry will also spearhead the president’s initiative on ranching, encouraging state governments to provide land for federal projects.
More Ministers and Expanded Roles
In addition to the creation of the new ministry, the cabinet reshuffle will see the appointment of state ministers for most, if not all, ministries that currently have only one minister. This decision comes amid criticism of President Tinubu’s “overbloated cabinet,” which initially included 48 members.
President Tinubu defended the size of his cabinet, arguing that combining too many ministries to save money could lead to poor performance and lack of results. The reshuffle will also address ministries currently without a minister of state, such as Labour and Employment, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, which has been without a minister since Betta Edu’s suspension in January.
Performance-Based Assessments
The president’s upcoming decisions will be informed by an assessment report on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the ministers, conducted by his Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman. Although Ms. Hadiza was unavailable for comment, she previously mentioned the federal government’s citizens’ delivery tracker, which uses empirical data to evaluate ministerial performance. This tracker is part of a broader set of criteria for assessing the ministers.
Potential Upgrades and Exits
Insider information suggests that some ministers of state are likely to be upgraded, while others may be replaced. One source confirmed that a former governor is among those expected to be dropped from the cabinet, and a specific minister of state is set for an upgrade.
When reached for comment, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated, “I don’t know about any cabinet reshuffling. What I know is that the president is preparing to address the nation for the Democracy Day celebration, and on Thursday he will leave for Lagos to celebrate Sallah.”
This impending cabinet reshuffle reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to addressing critical issues such as food security and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of his administration through strategic ministerial appointments and the creation of focused ministries.