Untold story of President Tinubu’s last minute shuffling of ministerial portfolios
BY BARTH NNAEMEKA
Fresh facts have emerged on why President Bola Tinubu, reshuffled his cabinet few days before the inauguration of his ministers on Monday, August 21.
Those close to the Presidency disclosed to Saturday Times, that the emergency move was sequel to the protest launched by some interest groups, especially in the South West, who frowned at the positions given to some South West politicians.
According to sources, former Governor of Osun State, H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola, was initially given the position of Minister of Transportation and he was excited with the portfolio without knowing that the Maritime, NIMSA and NPA, ‘very juicy and lucrative portfolios’ had been excised from the ministry.
The source said Oyetola was shocked when some transportation stakeholders and experts informed him that Tinubu’s creation of Marine and Blue Economy, portfolio had left the Ministry of Transportation with little or nothing adding that what’s left in the ministry was Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC.
The source said he was told that the ministry was an empty ministry without maritime sector like Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, and NIMASA.
It was gathered that Oyetola and some prominent South West politicians stormed Aso Vill and demanded for a swap of portfolios.
Saturday Times learned that immediately, Tinubu decided to come up with new shuffling to accommodate Oyetola as Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
According to an APC chieftain from the North, who was privy to the arrangement the President latched on the protest by sports stakeholders against appointing a 65 year old man as Minister for Sports to do the needful.
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In the new approved redeployment, Engr. Abubakar Momoh from the Federal Ministry of Youth was assigned to the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on August 20, 2023, said the Federal Ministry of Youth is to be re-assigned as a Minister-Designate soon.
He said the Ministers-Designate allocated to the Federal Ministries of Transportation, Interior, and Marine & Blue Economy have been reshuffled.
Ngelale explained that H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola was redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, and Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo is redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Interior.
According to him, Hon. Sa’idu Alkali was redeployed as the Honourable Minister of Transportation, stressing that going forward, both Ministers of State in the Oil & Gas sector are now domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources with the following designations allotted to Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, as the Hon. Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources, and Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo as the Hon. Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources.
He said the President approved the renaming of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Ecological Management as the Federal Ministry of Environment.
“All aforementioned changes take immediate effect by the directives of the President.” The statement said.
Meanwhile, Oyetola assumed office, and vowed to boost the Nigerian economy, expressing that Blue Economy was worth over $1.5 trillion globally.
He said his vision for a thriving blue economy sector was to prioritize sustainability, innovation, and economic growth.
Oyetola, made the declaration at his maiden news conference held in the Ministry of Transportation, on Monday, and also acknowledged the abundance of marine resources that exist within the coastal region and emphasized the need to fully harness them for economic gains.
According to him, his vision is to ensure that inland rivers, lakes, and waterways are well utilized, both in terms of cargo shipment and passenger transportation.
“I strongly believe in the power of collaboration, and dedication to service. The collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal can only be efficient and effective through team work
“This is why I crave your indulgence that we must work as a team to deliver on our mandate. Let us work together to find innovative solutions to the challenges we face, ensuring that our oceans and marine life are safe, reliable, and sustainable.
“Our oceans cover more than two-thirds of our planet’s surface, holding the key to sustainable economic growth, environmental preservation, and technological innovation.
“As we look ahead, my vision is rooted in the responsible management and utilisation of our marine resources to benefit not only our economy but also the health of our planet
“Experts say the Blue Economy is estimated to be worth more than 1.5 trillion Dollars per year globally. Therefore, given our size as a country and considering the size of our blue economy, we should be a significant player in this sector, so as to contribute immensely to the revenue generation of our country and also provide jobs for the unemployed.
“We must come up with practicable ways of ensuring that our inland rivers, lakes, and waterways are well utilised, both in terms of cargo shipment and passenger transportation. And this can be done by embarking on a holistic dredging campaign for most of our strategically important inland waterways so as to make them navigable for the passage of goods and people.
“We equally have a duty to promote better inter-agency cooperation and coordination between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority.
“We must seize this opportunity to create positive change, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come. I appreciate your dedication, and I look forward to working alongside each of you in the pursuit of a better Nigeria.”
On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation/Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said the water has a lot of untapped resources and pledged to support the vision of the new minister.
