By Nanmwa Golok

News available to ViewPointNigeria indicates that Governor Simon Lalong has approved the creation of 6 additional ministries.

In a statement signed by Rufus Bature, the Secretary to the Government of Plateau State and made available to newsmen, it said that in order to reinvigorate it’s machinery to deliver on the five policy thrust of the rescue administration, the Simon Lalong led administration has approved the creation of six additional ministries.

It also reads that the “Ministry of Transportation is to be carved out of the present ministry of Works and Transport.

“Also Ministry of Mineral Development will be excised from Ministry of Environment and Mineral Development”.

The statement further reads that Ministry of Physical planning and Urban development is to be carved out of the present ministry of Housing and Urban Development.”

“Also Ministry of Economic Planning which includes the planning department of the ministry of finance and the state Planning commission to be carved out of the present ministry of finance and economic planning. ”

“Ministry of Science and Technology is now created from the ministry of education, science and technology.”

“Ministry of special duties and inter -governmental affairs.”

“All concerned, especially the affected ministries /departments are to note that the new development takes immediate effect.”

ViewPointNigeria Analysis

Following the announcement earlier this afternoon, ViewPointNigeria’s experts have critically analysed the rationale behind the decision and has concluded that it is simply being driven by political motives and calculations as oppose to value creation.

Our analysts posit that the primary driver for the creation is for the rescue administration to consolidate power, by appointing a “breed of political big-weights” (or a political force) that can deliver critical voting-blocks during the upcoming 2019 elections. To accommodate the entire set of these individuals, more ministries have had to be created to give them portfolio.

However, given that the decision is primarily driven by political calculations as opposed to governance-needs, ViewPointNigeria analyst posit that little will change by means of tangible democratic dividends.

In fact, we posit that such a move is a governance burden, because the cost of governance will increase astronomically.  For instance, each commissioner will need new cars, new offices, new staff, allowances etc and all these costs millions of Naira. Also, new permanent secretaries will have to be appointed, requiring new cars, offices, new staff etc too.

The general trend in most states is that several ministries are collapsed into one – to decrease the cost of governance. Thus breaking existing ministries into small units is not cheery news by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is pardonable given the political dispensation which is upon us.

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Lalong creates 6 new ministries