- About five Ministers may be dropped
- New Labour Minister to be named
- Oronsaye report under consideration
With the exception of last minute changes, President Bola Tinubu is expected to implement a cabinet reshuffle any moment from now.
Sources with knowledge of the development confirmed to The Point that the changes may be announced at the next Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday, January 22, 2024.
The dependable sources confirmed that the President intends to rejig his cabinet, which he inaugurated in August 2023 because some of the appointees are “struggling in their portfolios and unprepared for the job.”
Although the truth of which ministers would be fired from the cabinet cannot be presently ascertained, however, one of the Presidency sources said “As many as five could be dropped.”
The President is also expected to replace the former Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, who resigned his appointment recently.
Lalong, a former Governor of Plateau State was sworn in on December 20, 2023 as the lawmaker representing Plateau South Senatorial District.
It was also gathered that the ongoing probe of the activities of some Ministers and Federal Government agencies is expected to help the President reshape his cabinet.
The government is already investigating the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, over the transfer of N3 billion allegedly for consultancy on compiling the social register for the National Social Investment Programme.
Last week, the President ordered the suspension of Edu to allow for a level playing field for the investigators.
The Federal Government is also investigating the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, concerning awarding a N438 million contract to a company linked to him by the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The Company known as “Planet Project Limited” was said to have benefited from the contracts worth N438 million as ‘consultancy fees’ from Betta Edu.
Tunji-Ojo, while explaining his connection with the firm, stated that he co-founded the firm with his wife but resigned from the company in 2019 when he got elected into the House of Representatives, adding that he was no longer a signatory to the company’s account.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, while fielding questions from journalists on a television programme, revealed that such a cabinet reshuffle may come after the ongoing investigations.
Ngelale said all discussions now are in the realm of speculation until the ongoing investigations are over.
He assured that the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman, was already compiling data on the performance of each MDA, including their Ministers.
President Tinubu had in November warned cabinet members and other top appointees against under-performance during a cabinet retreat at the Conference Centre of the Presidential Villa, in Abuja.
“You will sign a bond with me, if you are performing, nothing to fear, if you miss the objective, if you don’t perform, you leave us,” Tinubu declared at the three-day retreat.
While redefining the priority areas of his administration, President Tinubu had charged Hadiza Bala Usman to reactivate the “Presidential Delivery Tracker”, to track and report the performances of his cabinet members.
Oronsaye report under consideartion
Insiders and those close to the Presidency are also suggesting that the President and his team are tinkering on the pressure being mounted on him to implement the report of Stephen Oronsaye. According to them, the report implementation could be possible if he could muster the courage he used in removing the dreaded fuel subsidy.
Some economists and business analysts have criticized the N28.7 trillion 2024 budget, claiming that it’s not workable with the current inflation in the country.
According to both political and economic analysts, for the budget to actualise its purpose, the president must shed the weight of cost of governance by trimming the workforce.
Tinubu, before assuming the office was said to have concluded plans to implement the Oronsaye panel reports, on the reform of the civil service, a tough decision that the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, was afraid to take in reviving the ailing economy.
According to experts, to revive the dying Nigerian economy, a drastic step is required. The experts believed that Tinubu has taken the bold step in removing the controversial fuel subsidy, a once conduit pipe draining the nation’s commonwealth.
The experts are projecting job cuts, introduction of higher taxes, privatisation of public corporations and the sale of some government assets.
According to our source, Tinubu due to pressure might consider taking the bull by the horns and implement the report.
Another source hinted that Tinubu is afraid to take another anti-people policy even though he considers the report healthy to restore sanity in the economy, which he believes would pay off in the long run.
Recently, there have been calls and pressure on Tinubu to merge some ministries and agencies of the Federal Government as recommended by the Oronsaye panel.
Before coming up with the 2024 budget, it was gathered that Tinubu discussed the implementation of the report to reposition the country, especially during these trying moments.
It was gathered that Tinubu may streamline some ministries.
As of press time on Wednesday, there was no response to a WhatsApp message sent to President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on the confirmation or denial of the developments.
