Cablegate: Nigeria: Restructuring of Federal Ministries
VZCZCXRO6347
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN
DE RUEHUJA #3218/01 3491307
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151307Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8085
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0019
RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0023
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 5754
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 003218
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: RESTRUCTURING OF FEDERAL MINISTRIES
ABUJA 00003218 001.2 OF 002
THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET
DISTRIBUTION.
1. (SBU) The Nigerian Federal Executive Council announced
a reorganization of federal ministries and parastatals on
December 13. Some ministries were eliminated, some merged,
and responsibilities moved. The number of ministries will be
reduced from 28 to 19; however, some offices, agencies and
commissions within the Presidency will be elevated to
cabinet-level in order to satisfy constitutional requirements
for equal representation of the 36 states. The
reorganization is reportedly aimed at eliminating duplication
of functions and reducing corruption in the public service.
Changes are to take effect from January 2007 and a committee
headed by the Secretary of the Government has begun work to
make necessary legislative changes.
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MINISTRIES NOT AFFECTED
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2. (SBU) Only seven of the existing twenty-seven
ministries are not affected by the reorganization. They
include the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health,
Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Education, Ministry of
Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Science and Technology and
Ministry of Justice.
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CHANGES TO BE MADE
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3. (SBU) According to statements from the Ministry of
Information, the following changes will be made:
-- The Ministries of Transport, Works and Aviation will merge
to form the Ministry of Transportation.
-- The Ministries of Commerce and Industry will merge to form
the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
-- The Ministries of Police Affairs and Internal Affairs
will merge to form the Ministry of the Interior.
-- The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National
Orientation Agency are merged to form the Ministry of
Tourism, Culture and National Orientation.
-- The Ministry of Integration and Cooperation in Africa will
be eliminated and its functions taken over by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
-- The Ministry of Petroleum Resources will become the
Ministry of Energy, which will assume responsibility for coal
from the Ministry of Solid Minerals and power functions from
the Ministry of Power and Steel.
-- The Ministry of Power and Steel is eliminated and the
Ministry of Solid Minerals Development will become the
Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, which will take over
steel-related responsibilities.
-- The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs, Youth
Development and Special Duties is eliminated. Youth programs
will be the responsibility of a newly created Ministry of
Youth. Ecological funds will be managed by the office of
Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
SIPDIS
-- The Ministry of Sports is eliminated and a new commission
handling sports established within the Presidency.
-- The National Planning Commission is removed from under the
purview of the Office of the Economic Advisor to the
President and elevated to a cabinet-level commission.
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COMMENT
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4. (SBU) It remains unclear how the new system will work,
with some reports indicating there may be multiple Ministers
heading some of the newly merged Ministries. Pol Assistant
has been told that the new system will seek to outsource more
GON functions. Given the high levels of corruption in
Nigeria, outsourcing has often been associated with inflated
contracts, kickbacks and of private firms hired to carry out
tasks to which civil servants are also assigned.
CAMPBELL