President Tinubu Scraps Ministry Of Niger Delta Affairs – Sources

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has scrapped the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Naija News learnt.

It was gathered that the Ministry of Niger Delta was scrapped over duplication of efforts as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) remains functional.

Sources, who reportedly spoke to SaharaReporters on the development, said all responsibilities of the scrapped Ministry have now been 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 reportedly noted.

Scrap Ministry Of Niger Delta Affair – Orji Kalu To Tinubu

Barely three months ago, the lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, asked President Tinubu to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

According to him, the existence of the ministry was not necessary because when the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is strengthened, it would have the capacity to handle the responsibilities of the Ministry, Naija News gathered.

Naija News recalls that Kalu stated this while fielding questions from pressmen in Abuja, that there is nowhere in the act where the NDDC reports to the Ministry, rather it reports directly to the president.

He said, “It was a beautiful transition. I’m very excited that Nigeria is transiting from one civilian to another without rancour and I’m expecting Tinubu to look into all the abandoned projects like the Ajaokuta Steel mill and Jos rolling mills these are the source of our debts. Abandoned projects are what is taking out debt servicing.

“Secondly, I will like Tinubu to step on security and some of the ministries and parastatals that are no longer viable, like the ministry of Nigeria Delta some of those ministries are not viable, We have the NDDC, like we have the North East Development Commission, so the ministry of Niger Delta should be scrapped off, reposition the NDDC to report directly to the president which is what is in the Act. In the Act, there is nowhere they say NDDC will report to the Ministry of Nigeria Delta.

“They should allow the commission as a commission to be able to function purely as a commission.”

Naija News reports that President Tinubu on Wednesday, August 16, 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 the 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 has been split into two —Ministry of Youth and Ministry of Sports Development.