President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked two ministers from his cabinet.
They are the Ministers of Agriculture, Mohammed Sabo Nanono and his Power counterpart, Saleh Mamman.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, announced this on Wednesday to State House Correspondents, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abubakar has been redeployed to the Ministry of Agriculture while the Minister of State for Works, Abubakar Aliyu is to take over as Minister of Power.
He said the exercise will continue to fill vacancies as prescribed in the constitution.
On Monday All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) faulted the sacked Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for neglecting key stakeholders at the just conclude Feed Nigeria Summit (FNS) in Abuja.
The Assistant Publicity Secretary of AFAN, Salisu Mukhtar, in a statement had also criticised the Ministry for organising such an important event in the height of a rainy season without a National Agricultural Policy to replace the defunct Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) launched in 2015.
According to him, the Ministry excluded many key stakeholders in the country’s food system value chains, such as, AFAN, National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its good work in the agriculture space at the event.
Nanono had come under heavy criticism when a leaked memo dated December 10, 2020, with Ref. No. FMA/PROC/AHS/SIP/2020/7742/1, signed by Musa Musa, the deputy director of procurement in ministry on behalf of the minister, approved N30 million for the construction of a mosque awarded to El-Shukhur Multi-Buz Nig. Ltd.
The mosque he said was for livestock farmers displaced by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
In a statement released later by the Presidential Spokesman, he quoted Buhari as saying that the changes were sequel to the “tradition of subjecting our projects and programmes implementation to independent and critical self-review” through sector reporting during Cabinet meetings and at retreats.
He added that “these significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.”
The full text of the statement is reproduced below:
On Wednesday 21st August, 2019 the current Federal Executive Council was sworn-in after a rigorous retreat to bring returning and new members up to speed on the accomplishments, challenges and lessons drawn from my first term in Office and to emphasise the 9 priority areas of government for the second term.
Two years and some months into the second term, the tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review has taken firm roots through sector Reporting during Cabinet meetings and at Retreats.
These significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.
I must commend this cabinet for demonstrating unparalleled resilience that helped the government to navigate the disruption to global systems and governance occasioned by the emergence of COVID-19 shortly after inauguration. The weekly Federal Executive Council meetings was not spared because the traditional mode was altered.
As we are all aware, change is the only factor that is constant in every human endeavour and as this administration approaches its critical phase in the second term, I have found it essential to reinvigorate this cabinet in a manner that will deepen its capacity to consolidate legacy achievements.
Accordingly, a few cabinet changes, marking the beginning of a continuous process, have been approved. They are as follows:
Ministers Leaving the Cabinet: Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Engr. Sale Mamman, Minister of Power.
Redeployment: Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development; Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of State, Works & Housing assume office as the Minister of Power.
In due course, substantive nominations will be made to fill the consequential vacancies in accordance with the requirements of the constitution.
I have personally met with the departing members to thank them for their contributions to discussions in cabinet and the invaluable services rendered to the nation. Today, effectively marks their last participation in the Federal Executive Council deliberations and I wish them the best in all future endeavours.
“Finally, I wish to reiterate once more, that this process shall be continuous.
“I thank you all and May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”