President Muhammadu Buhari has concluded plans to split the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to two, Igbere TV has learned.
This follows the emergence of former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as ministerial-nominee.
Igbere TV reports that Buhari had merged three federal ministries in 2015 to form the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in what was seen as a cost-saving move by the president who came to power promising better management of resources.
Former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, was appointed minister in November 2015.The experiment, however, proved to be a failure with Fashola unable to effectively supervise three of the most critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
A source close to the Presidency has now told Igbere TV that Aregbesola’s appointment may see the unbundling of the ministry.
“With Engr. Rauf Aregbesola on the list, there is every likelihood that the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing may be split to Ministry of Power and Ministry of Works and Housing,” the source who craved anonymity told this online newspaper on Tuesday shortly after Buhari’s ministerial list was made public.
Fashola, who is returning as minister, is expected to supervise the power ministry, while Aregbesola will be in charge of works and housing.
Before contesting the Osun governorship election in 2007, Aregbesola was Lagos State commissioner for works and infrastructure.
He served for two terms under then-Governor Bola Tinubu, who is now the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
