President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in new Ministers and reshuffled his cabinet.
Six of the seven newly sworn Ministers replaced former members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) who resigned to participate in the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while one replaced the former Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, who was removed from office.
The new Ministers are:
- Goodluck Opiah (Imo) who is now the Minister of State, Education.
- Umar El-Yakub (Kano) becomes the Minister of State, Works, and Housing.
- Ademola Adegoroye (Ondo) is filling in the role of the Minister of State, Transportation.
- Henry Ikoh Ikechukwu (Abia) is the new Minister of State, Science, and Technology.
- Umana Okon Umana (Akwa Ibom) takes over as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
- Ekumankama Nkama (Ebonyi) is the new Minister of Health.
- and Odum Udi (Rivers) is the Minister of State, Environment.
President Buhari approved the reassignment of the Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Mamora as new the Minister of Science and Technology.
The Minister of State for Works, Mua’azu Sambo was also moved to the Ministry of Transportation as the substantive Minister; while the Minister of State for the Environment, Sharon Ikeazor is now the Minister of State for the Niger Delta.
Gbemisola Saraki was moved from her position as the Minister of State for Transportation to the Ministry of Mines and Steel as the Minister of State.
Before the swearing-in, a minute’s silence was observed in honour of Muhammed Barkindo, the outgoing Secretary-General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), who died Tuesday night.
Resist Bad Counsel and Temptation -Buhari to New Ministers
President Buhari encouraged the newest members of his cabinet to collaborate with their older colleagues to actualise his administration’s goals.
‘‘You are all coming on board at this time with new energy, ideas, experiences, and vigour to join the existing team so that the implementation of policies, programs, and projects associated with these electoral objectives would be escalated and accelerated.
‘‘There is still so much to be done for our country in the areas of infrastructure development, energy, access to finance, access to justice, technology and innovation, trade, agriculture, education, and security. The list is inexhaustible,’’ he said.
The President also warned the ministers to resist the temptation to be corrupt.
‘‘You must resist bad counsel, resist temptation and be circumspect in your utterances and conduct.
“You must totally eschew corruption and be above board because if caught there will be no sacred cows.’’
The new Ministers are joining the Buhari administration, less than one year to the end of the regime.
They were screened and confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday 29 June.
