Ahmed Joda, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress’ transition committee has recommended that President Muhammadu Buhari prune down the number of federal ministries to 19 only.
Joda and his colleagues who had reviewed the handover notes given by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration, advised President Buhari to commission only 19 senior ministers and 17 ministers of state, bringing the total number to 36 and to equally satisfy an important constitution requirement stating that every state must be represented in the federal executive.
It has been further gathered that some ministries might retain their current status if President Buhari deems it fit to stick by the recommendations of the committee.
Such ministries include; Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; Ministry of Education; Minsitry of Defence; FCT; and Ministry of Finance .
Included also are ministries of Labour and productivity, Justice, Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Planning.
“There is no direct relationship between the number of ministries and efficacy of service delivery.
“The United States with a population of 316 million and with GDP of $17,328tn – 30 times Nigeria’s GDP – has 15 ministries.
“India has 24 ministries, while the United Kingdom has 17.
“The current structure of the FGN with 28 minitries and 542 agencies – 50 of which have no enabling laws.
“The portfolios of ministries are not responsive to all the major critical national challenges such as family and child affairs; religious affairs; vulnerable and elderly group affairs as well as the North-Eastern crisis.
“There is an apparent conflict between the desire of reducing the cost of governance through cabinet downsize and the constitutional requirement of a cabinet-level ministerial appointment from each of the 36 states of the federation,” the committee report stated.
The Federal Government of Nigeria had 42 ministers between 1999-2007 Olusegun Obasanjo administration and likewise with the 2010-2015 Jonathan administration.
