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President Muhammadu Buhari has unbundled the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing which was manned by Babatunde Fashola.
While assigning portfolios to the new ministers who were sworn in today at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja, Buhari appointed Fashola as Minister for Works and Housing and appointed Saleh Mamman as Minister for Power. Godwin Jedi-Agba was appointed Minister of State for Power.
Many attributed the lack of real development in the Power sector to the weight of three ministries of then minister, Fashola.
The president also made himself Minister of Petroleum Resources like he did in his first tenure. He appointed Timipre Sylva as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
A number of ministers who served in the last tenure, retained their portfolios while the president dashed expectations in cases like that of Sunday Dare who many thought would get the Ministry of Communications or Ministry of Information, judging from his experience. Dare was however given the Ministry of Youth and Sport.
READ: SEE THE FULL LIST OF MINISTERS AND THEIR PORTFOLIOS
Buhari’s decision to retain the Petroleum Minister will definitely be condemned again by those who say it is illegal and unproductive for him to double as the Minister of Petroleum Resources when it is even believed that the junior minister has little or no influence.
In the last tenure, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Maikanti Baru, was said to be reporting directly to the president with Ibe Kachikwu, losing his influence shortly after being removed as GMD.