Adebayo Shittu, the former Minister of Communication in Nigeria, has publicly defended the federal government’s decision to maintain a cabinet of 50 ministers, emphasizing the necessity of such a structure in light of Nigeria’s vast population and the increasing complexity of governance.
Shittu made these remarks during a discussion on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on Thursday evening, where he addressed the implications of recent ministerial changes under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a significant reshuffle, President Tinubu dismissed five ministers, including Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Prof. Tahir Mamman (Education), Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo (Housing and Urban Development), and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth Development).
In their place, seven new ministers were appointed, with notable figures such as Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu taking on the role of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Jumoke Oduwole stepping in as Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment.
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During the television appearance, Shittu argued against the notion that reducing the number of ministers would lead to cost savings for the government. “There is no point saving a kobo and, in the process, losing so much naira,” he stated.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s population of approximately 200 million requires a robust governmental structure to effectively serve its needs.
According to Shittu, the content of governance is continually expanding, necessitating a proportional increase in ministerial roles.
He elaborated, “Government is thinking ahead to bring in new ministries and new subject matters. For me, a situation where we are penny wise and pound foolish would ultimately be counterproductive.”
Shittu specifically highlighted the extensive responsibilities of key ministries, such as Agriculture and Education, which each oversee more than 50 agencies.
He questioned the feasibility of expecting a single minister to effectively manage such a substantial workload: “If you have 50 agencies under a ministry, you expect one person to adequately take care of both the core content of the ministry and supervise all these agencies? That will certainly be too unwieldy.”
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In his defense of a larger cabinet, Shittu drew parallels with governance structures in other countries, where separate ministries are dedicated to primary and higher education.
“That is why, in some nations, you have distinct ministries for primary education and higher education,” he noted. He argued that this approach allows for more focused management and oversight.
Shittu concluded his remarks by reaffirming the necessity of having a sizable number of ministers to effectively manage the diverse and extensive responsibilities of Nigeria’s federal government.
He stressed the importance of finding qualified individuals who can competently oversee both the ministries and their numerous agencies.
“To the best of my knowledge, having 50 ministers is not too many for a huge country like Nigeria with enormous responsibilities,” he asserted, underscoring the need for a capable and expansive governance framework to meet the challenges of a growing nation.