After accepting the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee recommendations of a “small government” which entails pruning the number of ministers from 42 to 19, President Muhammadu Buhari may appoint 12 senior ministers from the North.
Sunday Mirror also gathered that most of the service chiefs and some other top security chiefs will also come from the North.
The President is expected to implement key recommendations of the report, especially those proposing lean cabinet structure as a way of cutting recurrent expenditure and freeing up funds for capital projects.
According to a source, the committee recommended only 19 senior ministers and 17 (junior) ministers of state totaling 36 in line with constitutional provision of one minister per state.
Top on the list of the ministries to be manned by Northern politicians and technocrats include education, defence, FCT, finance, Justice, police affairs, foreign affairs and the newly-created ministry of energy amongst others.
According to the source, “President Buhari has already drawn his list in line with the Joda committee recommendation and has accepted to work with only 19 ministers who will man key ministries. The list which will be sent to National Assembly this week is already been screened by the security agencies.
“The list though as expected has more northerners but like you know, the North has more states than the South. Again, the intention is not to make one region dominate the other but purely because of competence and the expertise of the persons chosen.
“It is believed that once the screening is concluded, this ministerial nominees will be in the public domain. They are Nigerians that have proved their worth and I can assure you that you will appreciate the thoroughness of Mr. President in making the selection. National Mirror
