Matawalle and others granted full oversight over agencies as Tinubu gives more powers to ministers of state

President Bola Tinubu has granted ministers of state full authority to oversee the agencies under their jurisdiction.

Previously files pertaining to departments and agencies under their supervision were sent by their permanent secretaries to the senior ministers.

With the new development, ministers of state can now grant all necessary administrative approvals on the governance process of these agencies and departments.

According to TheCable, a source within the office of the head of service of the federation told the newspaper: “The president was not pleased with the prevailing governing framework in which ministers of states were just ministers in name.”

This situation, according to Tinubu, 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 continued.

The idea, reportedly first proposed by Hadiza Bala Usman, the president’s special adviser on policy coordination, received immediate approval from Tinubu.

The new directive is aimed at “unleashing” the full potential of all the ministers, the source added. Tinubu’s cabinet consists of 48 ministers, 16 of whom are junior ministers.

Ministries with ministers of the state include agriculture and food security, defence, education, FCT, foreign affairs, health, petroleum (oil), petroleum (gas), humanitarian and poverty reduction, and women affairs, among others.

Notable among them are; Bello Metawalle, Minister of State Defence; Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy (State); Sen. John Owan Enoh, Minister of State Trade and Investment; and Minister of State Works, Barr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo.