Tinubu Grants Ministers of State More Power
President Bola Tinubu during the Federal Executive Council Meeting has granted approval to all ministers of state to have full powers to supervise the agencies under them. By this Executive approval, the federal government has granted full oversight responsibilities to all Ministers of State.
Until now, files pertaining to departments and agencies under Ministers of State’s supervision were sent by their permanent secretaries to the senior ministers.
With the new power granted to ministers of state, the ministers of state can now grant all necessary administrative approvals on the governance process of the agencies and departments under their supervision.
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 a presidency source, the idea was 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 Tinunu administration hopes “to unleash” the potential of all the ministers, the source added.
With the new directive, the Minister of State for Defence Dr. Matawalle and his counter part state ministers for Water Resources and Sanitation, Minister of State for Agriculture and others will henceforth enjoy full oversight responsibilities over all the agencies under them.