Anambra State Government Creates Two New Ministries, Renames Some Others

By Orji, Somtoochukwu
The administration of Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo has created two new ministries, dissolved one, and renamed some of the ministries.
The two newly created ministries are the Ministry of Homeland Affairs and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. The former Ministry of Tertiary Education has been annulled.
The State Head of Service, Barr. Okwy Igwegbe signed a circular containing this information. This exercise was employed in line with the repositioning being carried out by Prof Soludo.
The creation of the ministries led to the death of the former Ministry of Tertiary Education in Anambra State and also the reforming of the new ministries to contain model professional departments and agencies.
The State’s Ministry of Education is to have as part of itself, the Technical and Vocational Department, Schools Department, Educational Services, Educational Development Centre, and Higher Educational Departments.
For the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the members now include Mineral Resources and Energy, Hydrometeorology Department, and Scientific Innovations, Research and Development Department.
The ICT Department in the defunct Ministry of Tertiary Education has been shifted to the Anambra State Information and Communication Technology Agency (ANSICTA), and the Industry Department in the Office of the Deputy Governor returned to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The Ministry of Works has been renamed to be the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure. The reformation also extend to the Ministry of Youth Entrepreneurship and Creative, which is now known as Ministry of Youth Development; Ministry of Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partners’ Coordination now answers Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget.
Ministry of Social Welfare, Children and Women Affairs has been renamed Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, while Ministry of Trade and Commerce is now the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as Ministry of Public Utilities is now called Ministry of Power and Water Resources.
Ministry of Basic Education and the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology meet under the joint name, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment currently bears the name Ministry of Information.
In the same vein, the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Art Works, Culture and Tourism is now called Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism. Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal, also takes its share as it now identifies as Ministry of Housing.
Directives were given to staff in the ministries and departments, to carry on with their duties in the newly formed ministries.