Government sources on Thursday told Sahara Reporters that the Ministry of Niger Delta was scrapped by the President following the call by Former Governor of Abia state and the Senate Committee Chairman on Privatization and Commercialization, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to scrap the ministry to reduce duplications of functions with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Kalu also asked the president to create Ministry of Abandoned Projects to replace Ministry of Steel Development. He revealed that over 11,000 abandoned projects gulps more than 30% of Nigerian expenditures.
President Bola Tinubu has scrapped the Ministry of Niger Delta, SaharaReporters reported
Government sources on Thursday told SaharaReporters that the Ministry of Niger Delta was scrapped by the President because there is also the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The sources noted that following the scrapping of the Ministry of Niger Delta, all the works and duties previously mandated to the ministry will be moved to the NDDC.
“Tinubu has scrapped the Ministry of Niger Delta. It was done because there is the Niger Delta Development Commission so it is like they are duplicating efforts. Now, all works done by the Ministry of Niger Delta will be moved to the NDDC,” one of the sources said.
President Tinubu On Wednesday released a list of his ministers and their portfolios.
The President also created some new ministries while the names of some existing ministries have been modified including the Ministry of Environment And Ecological Management, Ministry of Marine And Blue Economy, Ministry of Health And Social Welfare, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, and the Ministry of Gas Resources.
There is also the Ministry Of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy which used to be called Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is now the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and will be headed by Betta Edu.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development had been split into two —Ministry of Youth and Ministry of Sports Development.
In May, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu called on President Tinubu to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
He described the works of the ministry as a duplication of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
“Some of the ministries and parastatals that are no longer viable like the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and some other ministries that are not viable should be scrapped.
We have the Niger Delta Development Commission like we have the North East Development Commission. So the Ministry of Niger Delta should be scrapped,” he said.
