THE proposed cabinet reshuffle by President Umaru Yar�Adua may have started creating ripples in different ministries in view of reports that the President was set to make a sweeping reorganisation.
Against this background, activities in most ministries and parastatal agencies in Abuja have been low keyed as observed since last week, even as most ministers were not in their offices on Monday by midday when the Nigerian Tribune visited the Federal Secretariat.
Indications that most of the ministries would not be vibrant until after the cabinet shake-up emerged with the postponement of major assignments by certain ministers for fear of being embarrassed after a sudden announcement of cabinet changes.
A survey conducted by the Nigerian Tribune across some federal ministries in Abuja on Friday and Monday showed that top officials were putting aside major assignments, including scheduled official trips, as a result of the proposed cabinet reorganisation.
Some ministers� aides who spoke on the state of suspense of their respective ministers said that the ministers were looking towards tomorrow�s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting with the expectations that the Presidency would resolve the issue once and for all thereafter.
It was the general consensus among civil servants who commented that if nothing happens after the FEC meeting, the President may not afterall embark on any major cabinet shake-up because the year is coming to an end.
There have been reports that President Yar�Adua has resolved finally to shake up his cabinet based on the reported low performance of the cabinet as currently constituted, even as the Presidency is said to be shopping for technocrats to form the new cabinet.
It was also reported that President Yar�Adua had been involved personally in the screening of candidates pencilled in for cabinet appointments, while the Special Adviser to the President on Communications, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, was quoted as saying that Yar�Adua�s government was serious about effecting a cabinet change.
The last FEC meeting had approved the de-merging of some ministries against the policy of the last government while it created the ministry of Niger Delta.