The House of Representatives is considering a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to limit the number of ministers appointed by the president to 37.
Chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, the bill is titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Streamline the Number of Ministers to be Appointed to the Federal Executive Council’.
Currently, the Federal Executive Council under President Bola Tinubu’s administration comprises 45 ministers, including substantive ones and Ministers of State.
The bill which is sponsored by the members representing Darazo/Ganjuwa and Kaga/Gubio/Magumeri Federal Constituencies of Bauchi and Borno states, seeks to amend Section 147 (1) of the Constitution to read, “There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation, not exceeding 37, as may be established by the President.”
Speaking of the gap the proposed legislation seeks to address, Bauchi lawmaker, Mansur Soro said: “The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to specify the maximum number of ministers to be appointed to the Federal Executive Council to address duplication of duties, minimise the cost of governance, and enhance efficiency to service at the federal level.
“We need to reduce the cost of governance, to address inequality in the number of ministers to be appointed from each state and cases of overlapping mandate of ministers. In my opinion, a minister per state is enough while also considering the Federal Capital Territory.”
“The President has tens of other prime agencies of government and extra ministerial parastatals to accommodate technocrats or politicians. Now, Ogun has four ministers against other states that have one each. Is that fair?” he asked.
