Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has decided to dissolve his cabinet to make way for new individuals in his administration.

Eno made the announcement during a valedictory session at the Executive Chamber in Uyo on Friday.

The governor clarified that all the commissioners had done their jobs well, but the move was necessary to bring in a fresh set of professionals for the next phase of governance.

A dinner in honour of the outgoing members will take place at the Government House later in the evening.

Many of the commissioners had served for nearly a decade, with some holding positions under the previous administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Eno mentioned that their retention earlier was meant to acknowledge their hard work, as they did not receive adequate recognition when the previous government ended in May 2023.

The United States government on Friday returned $52.88 million linked to former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Madueke.

This amount was traced to assets forfeited by Galactica, connected to Madueke and her associates.

US Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr. and Nigerian officials, led by Attorney-General Prince Lateef Fagbemi, formalized the agreement at the Ministry of Justice in Abuja.

The funds will be managed with transparency, under the supervision of the World Bank and IIJ, to ensure their proper use in projects benefiting Nigeria, adhering to international anti-corruption standards.

“Measures have also been put in place to ensure that the repatriated funds are not only disbursed but also utilized transparently and accountably by the World Bank and IIJ, with periodic reports to be forwarded to Nigeria and the US on the implementation of the projects.

“This robust framework will guarantee that the funds are effectively used for the full benefit of the Nigerian people in line with UNCAC and the Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) principles,” the AGF added.

More to come..

1) The National Youth CONFAB:

This is expected to kick off in the first quarter of the new year as the administration seeks to strengthen the synergy between its young population and the leadership.
The Ministry of Youth is expected to announce, soon, the modalities for selecting the conference’s representatives from across the country.

2) National Credit Guarantee Company:

First announced during the President’s 2025 New Year Message, the administration is expected to launch the National Credit Guarantee Company before the end of the second quarter of 2025.
This company will assist the administration to further consolidate and increase access to credit for individuals and critical sectors of the economy to boost national economic output.

3) Tax Reform Bills Implementation:

The tax reform bills that are currently being debated on the floor of the National Assembly are expected to be passed over the next few months with implementation expected to begin in earnest.
The bills, apart from strengthening Nigeria’s tax collection capacity also aim to fix many basics of the economy which will in turn tackle poverty, inflation, unemployment, pand oor revenue as well as strengthen the ease-of-doing business rating of the country.

4) Consumer Credit Phase 2:

The Consumer Credit Scheme which is a major initiative of President Tinubu’s administration is expected to be taken to a new level as the general public starts to access the benefits embedded in it.

The first phase of the scheme which has already benefited tens of thousands of civil servants will now be extended to the general public as the administration completes to increase access to consumable goods which will help drive industrialization, reduce corruption and improve the standard of living of the populace.

5) Special Agro Processing Zones/Green Imperative:

The Special Agro Processing Zones which is an initiative of the federal government in partnership with the African Development Bank seeks to improve food production on a large scale in the country with six states pencilled down for the first phase. Large farming clusters will be setup across the country.

The Green Imperative seeks to ensure farmers at the grassroots get access to extension services including mechanized farming, and training on the use and maintenance of modern equipment by establishing centres across the 774 Local Governments.

6) Full Implementation of the Local Government Autonomy:

All things being equal, the judgement of the Supreme Court on Local government autonomy is expected to be fully implemented in the new year.

This is expected to improve governance at the grassroots level as it enables the FG to send allocations directly to local governments without interference from the states, which is currently obtainable.

7) National Livestock Program:

Following the introduction of a new Ministry of Livestock by President Tinubu’s administration, a National Livestock Program is billed to commence in the new year as Nigeria seeks to harness the potential in the livestock sector.

Northern Nigeria is a major player in the development of livestock and with a new operational framework in place, the sector is expected to contribute significantly to the economic growth of Nigeria, eliminate issues of farmers-herders crisis and reduce poverty in the country.

8) Renewed Hope Creative Villages:

According to the Presidency, plans have been finalized to establish creative villages of arts in each state across Nigeria, named “Renewed Hope Creative Villages” with the goal of enhancing the creative industry and preserving historic sites.

The initiative would collaborate with state governments to identify historic locations and transform them into creative hubs.
This one-stop-shop solution will help the government to harness the potentials of the sector to create thousands of jobs, preserve monumental sites across the country and develop a sector that could contribute immensely to economic growth.

9) Infrastructure Commissioning:

The Presidency said several Infrastructural projects are expected to be commissioned in 2025. Some of them are:

Phase one of Lagos-Calabar Highway
• 3 bus terminal stations in FCT
•Renewed Hope Cities
• The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project
• Kaduna Refinery
• 52MW Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP)
• The next phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI)
• Kaduna power project (Kudendan power plant)
• 375MW Egbema Power Station, Imo State