Zainab no longer Minister of State Budget and National Planning – Presidency

The Presidency has said that the supervising minister of finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed has left her role as Minister of State for Budget and National Planning to focus fully on overseeing the Ministry of Finance.

This was disclosed during the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday at the Aso Villa, Abuja.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, told journalists after the FEC meeting that “She is no longer Minister of State for Budget and National Planning for now until anything contrary happens. For now, she is in charge of the Ministry of Finance.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had directed Mrs Ahmed to oversee the Finance Ministry on Friday after accepting the resignation of the former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

Adeosun had resigned her appointment, followed her involvement in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate scandal.

Mrs Ahmad had, upon assuming office at the Finance Ministry on Monday, warned that the country was facing serious revenue challenges, saying that, “it is up to us to make sure we shore up the revenue base of the country.”

According to the supervising minister, “the President has a lot of confidence that we can do this if we work together. You are working for the President and at the end of the day, you’re working for the benefit of the citizens.”