President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Muttaqha Darma as the new Minister of Housing and Urban Development.
The brief swearing-in ceremony was held at the State House in Abuja on Friday.
Darma, who hails from Katsina State, was recently cleared by the Senate and replaced Ahmed Dangiwa, who resigned from the cabinet.
Speaking at the ceremony, Tinubu congratulated the new minister, describing his appointment as coming at a “very challenging time of national development.”
“You have a very rich and interesting background. As a leader, we need competent hands like yours.
“There is no doubt that you have rendered valuable services in all the assignments you have embarked upon; you are a fitting peg in the right position,” the president said
The remarks were contained in a statement issued by the President’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga.
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Tinubu urged Darma to be prepared to serve wherever his expertise is required in advancing the government’s development agenda.
According to the statement, Darma is a scholar, administrator and development expert with a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from Atlantic International University.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bayero University Kano and a Master’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Benin.
Darma is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
He served as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund between 2008 and 2012 and later held several commissioner-level positions in Katsina State, including Works, Housing and Transport, as well as Rural and Social Development.
He has also lectured at Bayero University, Kano, and published widely on governance and development issues.
Before his appointment, he was President of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Human Development Centre in Katsina.