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President Tinubu approves ministers, allocates portfolio
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday approved the appointment of the new ministers and also allocated their portfolios.
Mr Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, made this known while briefing State House Correspondent in Abuja.
He said that the swearing in is expected by next week after the retreat by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The list of the new ministers and their portofolio are:
- Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy- Bosun Tuani
- Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management- Ishak Salako
- Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy- Wale Edun
- Minister of Marine and Blue Economy- Bunmi Tunji
- Minister of Power- Adedayo Adelabu
- Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare- Tunji Alausa
- Minister of Solid Minerals Development- Dele Alake
- Minister of Tourism- Lola Ade-John
- Minister of Transportation- Adegboyega Oyetola
- Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment- Doris Anite
- Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji
- Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha
- Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy
- Minister of Works, David Umahi
- Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo
- Minister of Youth, Abubakar Momoh
- Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu
- Minister of State, Gas Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo
- Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri
- Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh
- Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike
- Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy- Hannatu Musawa
- Minister of Defence- Mohammed Badaru
- M of State Defence- Bello Matawale
- M of State Education- Yusuf Sununu
- Housing and Urban Development- Ahmed Dangiwa
- M of State Housing and Urban Developmet- Abdullahi Gwarzo
- Minister of Budget and Economic Planning- Atiku Bagudu
- Minister of Environment and Ecological Management- (***Kaduna***)
- Minister of State, FCT- Mairiga Mahmud
- Minister of State Water Resource and Sanitation- Bello Goronyo
- Minister of Agric and Food Security- Abubakar Kyari
- Minister of Education- Tahir Mamman
- Minister of Interior- Sa’idu Alhaji
- Min. of Foreign Affairs- Yusuf Tuggar
- Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare- Ali Pate
- Minister of Police Affairs- Ibrahim Geidam
- Minister of State, Steel Development- Maigari Ahmadu
- Minister of Steel Development- Shuaibu Audu
- Minister of Information and National Orientation- Muhammed Idris
- Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice- Lateef Fagbemi
- Minister of Labour and Employment- Simon Lalong
- Minister of State, Police Affairs- Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim
- Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs- Zephaniah Jisalo
- Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation- Joseph Utsev
- Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security- Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi
The ministerial position for Kaduna State has yet to be announced due to the Senate need to further investigation of the candidate.
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EFCC bars dollar transactions, orders embassies to charge in naira
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has barred foreign missions based in Nigeria from transacting in foreign currencies and mandated them to use Naira in their financial businesses.
The EFCC has also mandated Nigerian foreign missions domiciled abroad to accept Naira in their financial businesses.
The anti-graft agency said the move is to tackle the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy and the degradation of the naira
The Commission, therefore, asked the government to stop foreign missions in Nigeria from charging visa and other consular services in foreign denominations.
The EFCC gave the advisory in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, for onward transmission to all foreign missions in the country.
In the letter, the EFCC said it issued the advisory because the practice of paying for consular services in dollars was in conflict with extant laws and financial regulations in Nigeria.
In a letter dated April 5, 2024, which was addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, titled: “EFCC Advisory to Foreign Missions against Invoicing in US Dollar,” the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede expressed dismay over the invoicing of consular services in Nigeria by foreign missions in dollars.
The EFCC cited Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.
The letter read, “I present to you the compliments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and wish to notify you about the commission’s observation, with dismay, regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar ($).
“It states that ‘the currency notes issued by the Bank shall be the legal tender in Nigeria on their face value for the payment of any amount’.
“This presupposes that any transaction in currencies other than the naira anywhere in Nigeria contravenes the law and is, therefore, illegal.”
The commission further stated that the rejection of the naira for consular services in Nigeria by certain missions, along with non-compliance with foreign exchange regulations in determining service costs, is not just unlawful but also undermines the nation’s sovereignty embodied in its official currency.
The letter continues: “This trend can no longer be tolerated, especially in a volatile economic environment where the country’s macroeconomic policies are constantly under attack by all manner of state and non-state actors.
“In light of the above, you may wish to convey the commission’s displeasure to all missions in Nigeria and restate Nigeria’s desire for their operations not to conflict with extant laws and regulations in the country.”
Diplomatic sources said yesterday, May 10, that some embassies were wondering whether the EFCC’s advisory represented the position of the Federal Government.
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Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna
Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.
The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.
Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.
Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.