From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Monday assigned new portfolios to some commissioners and senior officials of the Kaduna State Government.
The governor said that the reshuffle is designed to help harness fresh energy for the government’s final lap, bring new insights and enable the commissioners to have a more rounded experience of the government.
A statement from Special Adviser to the Governor (Media & Communication), Muyiwa Adekeye, disclosed that eight of the 14 commissioners swapped portfolios.
There were no changes in the ministries of Finance, Justice, Health, Housing & Urban Development, Internal Security and Home Affairs and Human Services and Social Development.
The Chief of Staff, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, returned to the Planning & Budget Commission, the responsibility he held, according to the statement, with distinction during El-Rufai’s first term.
It is the second time that a chief of staff to the governor is being reassigned as Commissioner.
In 2019, Muhammad Bashir Saidu, then Chief of Staff, was redeployed to the Ministry of Finance.
The new portfolios for the commissioners being reassigned included Environment headed by Jaafaru Sani, Public Works and Infrastructure by Thomas Gyang, Education by Halima Lawal
Others are Agriculture which is now headed by Ibrahim Hussaini, Local Government by Shehu Usman Muhammad, Planning & Budget Commission by Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Business, Innovation & Technology by Kabir Mato and Sports Development by Idris Nyam.
‘Following the passage of the law creating metropolitan authorities to manage Kaduna, Kafanchan and Zaria as organic cities, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has nominated the following cabinet-rank administrators; Balaraba Aliyu-Inuwa as Administrator, Zaria Metropolitan Authority, Muhammad Hafiz Bayero as Administrator, Kaduna Capital Territory, Phoebe Sukai Yayi as Administrator, Kafanchan Municipal Authority.
‘Governor El-Rufai has also approved the deployment of the following officials; Umma Aboki as Permanent Secretary, Planning & Budget Commission, Murtala Dabo as Executive Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Abubakar Hassan as DG, Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority, Tamar Nandul as MD, Kaduna Markets Development & Management Company, Khalil Nur Khalil as ES, Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), Maimunatu Abubakar as GM, Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA).
‘Amina Ladan will oversee the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA) following the redeployment of Engineer Muhammad Lawal Magaji to the Ministry of Public Works & Infrastructure.
‘The government has also announced the appointments of Professor Mohammed Sani as chairman of the Local Government Service Board; Muhammed Muazu Muqaddas as Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Authority (SEMA) and Dr Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu as Permanent Secretary.
‘The governor has nominated Dr Ishaya Sarki Habu (chairman), Aminu Yusuf Musa, Engr Rabiu Tanko and Rebecca Nnawo Barde as the new members of the Legislative Service Commission.
‘Malam Nasir El-Rufai has conveyed the state government’s gratitude for the service of Aliyu Saidu, former DG-KADCHMA and Lawal Jibrin, former GM of KEPA, who are leaving the government,’ the statement said.