El-Rufai Announces Big Bang In Kaduna Civil Service, Abolishes, Creates Three Ministries

Kaduna State civil servants returning to work after the weekend holidays will have to tramp around looking for their new offices following a major restructuring of the state’s civil service announced on Saturday.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai in a major development aimed towards boosting the enabling environment for business growth and lifting sports has by executive order restructured the state’s ministries with the abolition of three. Three new ministries were also created leaving the total number of ministries at 14 as they were before the restructuring.

Senior special assistant on media and publicity, Samuel Aruwan in a statement said that the executive order abolished “Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Tourism, the Ministry of Rural & Community Development and the Ministry of Water Resources. It amends the mandates of the ministries responsible for local government, women and social development, works and sports.

“The newly created ministries are: Business, Innovation and Technology which will coordinate the development of skills, business, trade and manufacturing in the state. It also takes over the technology portfolio from the Ministry of Education and is expected to encourage the development of the digital ecosystem in the state. The new ministry will promote tourism and regulate tourism facilities in the state.

“Housing & Urban Development has the mandate to ensure the construction and maintenance of public buildings and to promote the expansion of the housing stock in the state. It will also be in charge of ensuring the enforcement of development control regulations, and the implementation of urban planning and country planning policies and urban renewal programmes in the state.

“Internal Security and Home Affairs has the mandate to coordinate internal security matters and liaison with security agencies in the state. It is expected to enhance the state government’s capacity to address security challenges. It will also supervise the activities of parastatals and agencies performing home affairs functions.

“Ministries with amended or expanded mandates include: Human Services and Social Development which will be the lead agency of the government in promoting and protecting the welfare of women, youths and vulnerable groups in the society. 

The ministry’s mandate is a significant expansion of the work of the former Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. It will monitor the implementation of the equal opportunity agenda of the government, develop and implement social protection programmes and ensure the promotion and preservation of arts and culture in the state.

“Public Works and Infrastructure is responsible for the provision and maintenance of public physical infrastructure like roads, water, broadband and light rail. It will promote collaboration between the electricity utility and local government councils to provide electricity to rural communities.

“Sports Development will focus on ensuring the revival of sports in urban and rural areas and encouraging and developing sporting talent. Its mandate includes providing and maintaining sports facilities in the state. The ministry is now the home of school sports which used to reside in the Ministry of Education. The youth and culture mandates of the former ministry are now assumed by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development.

The statement said the  list of commissioners nominated to lead these ministries will be forwarded to the Kaduna State House of Assembly as soon as it reconvenes.

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