President Bola Tinubu on Monday swore in three new ministers into his cabinet and presided over the second Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of his administration. The event took place at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Punch, the new ministers are Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Ayodele Olawande and Balarabe Lawal. They took the oath of office at 12:15 p.m. before the start of the FEC meeting.
They were cleared by the Senate on October 4, after being nominated by the President on September 17.
Ibrahim, 37, is the Minister of Youth. She hails from Kwara State and is a medical doctor, politician and development expert. She was the National President of the APC Young Women Forum before her appointment.
Olawande, 34, is the Minister of State for Youth. He is a community development expert and youth leader within the APC.
He served as the special adviser on innovation to former President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo from 2019 to 2023.
Lawal, who is the Minister of Environment, replaces former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State in Tinubu’s cabinet.
He was the secretary to the government under El-Rufai and is a seasoned administrator and technocrat.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, presented a roadmap for the economy based on eight priority areas.
These are food security, ending poverty, economic growth and job creation, access to capital, inclusivity, improving security, improving the playing field for businesses and fighting corruption.
The Minister of Trade and Investment, Doris Anite, said that the President has promised to create about 50 million jobs through her ministry.
She said that the government will support small and medium enterprises, attract foreign direct investment and promote exports.
The Council also observed a minute’s silence in honour of Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun, who died on July 1 at the age of 96. He was the Minister of Federal Capital under the Murtala Mohammed regime from 1976 to 1979.
The FEC meeting lasted for about four hours and was attended by all the ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
