Rita Odafe
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has empowered state ministers with complete authority to manage the agencies and departments they oversee.
In the past, permanent secretaries were responsible for sending files to senior ministers for final endorsement, limiting the autonomy of state ministers and giving them a primarily symbolic role.
A source from the head of service’s office shared with The Cable that President Tinubu was dissatisfied with this outdated system, which he felt led to the “underutilisation of skills and abilities” of state ministers.
“The president was not happy with the way things were structured, where state ministers functioned merely as titleholders,” the official revealed.
The updated directive allows state ministers to provide essential administrative approvals, enabling them to make decisions and undertake actions relevant to their responsibilities.
This change aims to “unlock” the capabilities of all members within the cabinet, leading to a more effective governance approach.
Tinubu’s current cabinet consists of 48 ministers, with 16 in junior roles. The ministries affected by this new directive include those focusing on agriculture and food security, defence, education, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), foreign affairs, health, petroleum (oil and gas), humanitarian efforts, poverty alleviation, and women’s affairs.
Additionally, the ministries related to works, regional development, labour and employment, finance, trade and investment, and housing and urban development will also see changes.
