Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has reshuffled his cabinet three months into his second year in office.
His Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku, confirmed this through a statement on Thursday in Umuahia, saying the governor also assigned portfolios to six new commissioners who were sworn-in on Wednesday.
The new commissioners are Mr. David Kalu (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation); Dr. Uwaoma Ukandu (Ministry of Finance); and Prof. Enoch Uche (Ministry of Health).
The governor also created the Ministry of Labour and Productivity with the former Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Sunny Onwuma, in charge.
Otti carved out the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy from the Ministry of Information and Culture, with Mr. Matthew Ekwuribe as the commissioner.
He also split the Ministry of Education into the Ministry of Secondary and Basic Education and the Ministry of Tertiary Education with Mr. Goodluck Ubochi and Prof. Uche Eme Uche named as commissioners respectively.
Also, the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection was carved out from the Ministry of Women Affairs with Dr. Maureen Aghukwa as the commissioner.
The Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry was split into the Ministry of Trade and Commerce and Ministry of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises with Mr. Kingsley Nwokocha and Mr. Mike Akpara as commissioners respectively.
Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu, who was the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, and Industry, has been redeployed to the Ministry of Transport.