El-Rufai reshuffles cabinet, returns Chief of Staff as Budget Commissioner

Malam Nasir El-Rufai has assigned new portfolios to some commissioners and senior officials of the Kaduna State Government.

The governor said that the reshuffle is designed to help harness fresh energy for the government’s final lap, bring new insights and enable the commissioners to have more rounded experience of the government.

A statement from Sir Kashim Ibrahim House disclosed that eight of the 14 commissioners swapped portfolios. There were no changes in the ministries of Finance, Justice, Health, Housing & Urban Development, Internal Security and Home Affairs and Human Services and Social Development.

Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, the Chief of Staff, returns to the Planning & Budget Commission, the responsibility he held during El-Rufai’s first term.

It is the second time that a chief of staff to the governor is being reassigned as Commissioner. In 2019, Muhammad Bashir Saidu, then Chief of Staff, was redeployed to the Ministry of Finance.

The new portfolios for the commissioners being reassigned are:

*Environment:  Jaafaru Sani

*Public Works and Infrastructure: Thomas Gyang

*Education: Halima Lawal

*Agriculture: Ibrahim Hussaini

*Local Government: Shehu Usman Muhammad

*Planning & Budget Commission: Muhammad Sani Abdullahi

*Business, Innovation & Technology: Kabir Mato

*Sports Development: Idris Nyam

Following the passage of the law creating metropolitan authorities to manage Kaduna, Kafanchan and Zaria as organic cities, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has nominated the following cabinet-rank administrators:

*Balaraba Aliyu-Inuwa: Administrator, Zaria Metropolitan Authority

*Muhammad Hafiz Bayero: Administrator, Kaduna Capital Territory

*Phoebe Sukai Yayi : Administrator, Kafanchan Municipal Authority

Governor El-Rufai has also approved the deployment of the following officials:

*Umma Aboki, Permanent Secretary, Planning & Budget Commission

*Murtala Dabo, Executive Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility Commission

*Abubakar Hassan, DG, Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority

*Tamar Nandul, MD, Kaduna Markets Development & Management Company

*Khalil Nur Khalil, ES, Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA)

*Maimunatu Abubakar, GM, Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA)

Amina Ladan will oversee the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA) following the redeployment of Engr. Muhammad Lawal Magaji to the Ministry of Public Works & Infrastructure.

The government has also announced the appointments of Professor Mohammed Sani as chairman of the Local Government Service Board; Muhammed Muazu Muqaddas as Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Authority (SEMA) and Dr. Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu as Permanent Secretary.

The governor has nominated Dr. Ishaya Sarki Habu (chairman), Aminu Yusuf Musa, Engr. Rabiu Tanko and Rebecca Nnawo Barde as the new members of the Legislative Service Commission.

Malam Nasir El-Rufai has conveyed the state government’s gratitude for the service of Aliyu Saidu, former DG-KADCHMA and Lawal Jibrin, former GM of KEPA, who are leaving the government.