Plateau gov creates new ministries weeks after dissolving cabinet

Simon Lalong, Plateau governor, has created six additional ministries to the 17 ministries in the state, bringing the total to 23.

Five of the ministries were carved out from the existing ones.

The governor had earlier in February dissolved his cabinet.

Rufus Bature, secretary to the government of Plateau, announced the creation of the new ministries in a statement made available to NAN on Saturday in Jos.

Bature said the creation of ministries was in line with government’s determination to reinvigorate its machinery to deliver on the five policy thrust of the administration.

The statement said a ministry of transport has been carved out from the ministry of works and transport.

“Ministry of mineral development is to be excised from the ministry of environment and mineral development.

“The ministry of physical planning and urban development has been carved out of the present ministry of housing and urban development.

“A ministry of economic planning has been created out of ministry of finance and economic planning and state planning commission”.

According to the statement, a ministry of science and technology has been created out of the present ministry of education, science and technology.

Bature added that an entirely new ministry of special duties and inter-governmental affairs has also created.

He said the new ministries will take off immediately.

Before the creation of the ministries, Lalong had submitted a list of 23 commissioner nominees to the Plateau house of assembly for approval instead of the 17 nominees he submitted in 2015.