Pres Tinubu Strengthens State Ministers’ Oversight Abilities in Key Agencies

As part of his administrative restructuring, Tinubu has assigned full oversight duties to Ministers of State, notably Dr. Matawalle for Defence, and Ministers of State for Water Resources, Sanitation, Agriculture, and others, over agencies falling under their jurisdiction

At the FEC Meeting, President Bola Tinubu has granted ministers of state full authority to oversee agencies under their purview, according to the cable

Until now, files pertaining to departments and agencies under their supervision were sent by their permanent secretaries to the senior ministers.

With the new dispensation, ministers of state can now grant all necessary administrative approvals on the governance process of these agencies and departments.

According to a source in the office of the head of service of the federation, “the president was not pleased with the prevailing governing framework in which ministers of states were just ministers in name”.

This, Tinubu reportedly said, led to the “underutilisation of the expertise and capabilities” of most ministers of state.

“The president believes ministers of state should have the right to make decisions and direct action within their areas of responsibility,” the official added.

According to the Cable report, the source said the idea, first mooted by Hadiza Bala Usman, special adviser to the President on policy coordination and head, central delivery coordination unit got an instant buy-in from the President.

With the new directive, the administration hopes “to unleash” the potential of all the ministers, the source added.