By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – President Muhammadu Buhari has reshuffled his ministers, while swearing in 7 new ones to fill vacancies caused by the resignation of the previous officials to enable them contest election.
The adjustment was announced by Buhari moments before the commencement of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at the Presidential Villa.
The President reassigned the former Minister of State for Health, Sen. Adeleke Mamora as the new Minister of Science and Technology; Minister of State, Works, Mua’azu Sambo as the sunstantive Minister of Transportation; Umanna Umanna as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs while Minister of State Environment, Sharon Ikeazor has been moved to the Niger Delta Ministry as Minister of State.
Similarly, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki was moved to the Ministry of Mines and Steel as Minister of State while Umar El-Yakub is now the Minister of State Works and Housing.
At the same event, Goodluck Opiah (Imo), Umar El-Yakub (Kano) and Ademola Adegoroye (Ondo). Henry Ikoh (Abia) Umana Okon Umana (Akwa Ibom), Ekumankama Nkama (Ebonyi) and Odum Odi (Rivers) were sworn in as Ministers.
Six of them filled the void created by the exit of former members of the Federal Executive Council, who left to participate in the last party primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while El-Yakub replaced the former Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, who was removed from office.
Goodluck Apiah is now the Minister of State, Education; Ekumankama Nkama, Minister of State for Health; Ikoh Ikechekwu, Minister of State, Science and Technology; Odum Udi, Minister of State, Environment and Ademola Adegoroye, Minister of State, Transportation.
Before the swearing in ceremony, a minute’s silence was observed in honour of Mohammed Barkindo, the outgoing Secretary-General of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), who died at the age of 63, on Tuesday night.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, were present at the ceremony.
Others in attendance include the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; that of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Education, Adamu Adamu andCommunication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.
The Minister of Mines and Steel, Olamilekan Adegbite; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba and his Industry Trade and Investment counterpart(Statr), Maryam Katagun, were also in attendance.