By Harriet Tornguvan -Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has authorized ministers of state to exercise full oversight authority over agencies under their jurisdiction, a significant shift from the previous governance structure.
This new directive empowers ministers of state such as Dr. Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, and the ministers overseeing Water Resources, Sanitation, and Agriculture to take an active supervisory role over relevant agencies.
The announcement came during a recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, where Tinubu approved granting ministers of state the authority to oversee and make key administrative decisions for the agencies under their portfolios.
According to reports, all files and matters concerning these agencies are now being directed to the ministers of state by their respective permanent secretaries.
With this mandate, ministers of state are now authorized to grant administrative approvals and lead governance processes within their designated areas, marking a significant change in the roles traditionally assigned to them.
Additionally an official from the Office of the Head of Service explained that the President was dissatisfied with the limited powers previously held by ministers of state, a structure that, he felt, led to the “underutilization of their expertise and capabilities.”
“The president believes that ministers of state should have the authority to make strategic decisions and initiate actions within their assigned portfolios,” added the official.
This policy shift reportedly originated from a proposal by Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit, which quickly received Tinubu’s endorsement. By enabling ministers of state to exercise expanded oversight, the administration aims to fully tap into their expertise and enhance the efficiency of government operations.
