Lagos Opts For Lean Govt, Scraps Ministries, Offices

THOUGH, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State is keeping his list of prospective commissioners to himself, there are indications that he is opting for a smaller cabinet compared to that of his predecessor.

Infact, Ambode has ordered the scrap of the Ministry of Rural Development, Monitoring Office and Political and Legislative Powers Bureau. Also scrapped from the public service is the Office of the Special Adviser on Taxation and Revenue, Debt Management Office.

He has also ordered that the Offices of Works and Office of Infrastructure; Office of Drainage Services and Office of Environmental Service be merged into one.

This development was contained in an Executive Order EO/AA 01 of 2015, issued by the governor on June 17, 2015, noting that the action would improve the process and procedure of service delivery and create opportunities for global competitiveness.

“As one of the core strategies for implementing the proclamation in my inaugural speech as the governor of Lagos State, it has become compelling to institute some changes and realign the structure of Ministries, Department and Agencies in the state,” the order read in part.

The document also notified the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation and Office of Civil Engagement of its movement to the office of the Deputy Governor and the Officer of the Head of Service (HOS).

It would be recalled that the governor, in his inaugural speech, created Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment and Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment (Lagos Global)

Ambode directed the Head of Service, Folashade Jaji, to effect the necessary realignment of office allocation and distribution of human resources in line with the new structures.

For the scrapped ministries, the document stated: “the new office of Civil Engagement is now saddled with the assigned responsibilities of the erstwhile Political and legislative Powers Bureau alongside other responsibilities.

“The mandate of the former Office of the Special Adviser on Taxation and Revenue and Debt Management Office be reassigned to the Ministry of Finance,” the document read in part.

Continuing, “The ministry of Home Affairs and Culture should no longer undertake the assigned responsibilities concerning culture, hence it is ministry of Home Affairs. The Culture aspect of the ministry would be undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism, renaming it Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.”

The document stated that the ministry of Special Duties would be expanded to accommodate Inter-governmental relations, renaming it ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental relations.

The governor, however, expanded the Office of Transformation and renamed it as Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation.

The responsibilities of ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs were expanded to include Community Affair, renaming it Ministry of Local Government and Community Affair.