Government Ministries
The political head of each of some 19 federal ministries – such as the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Petroleum – is a minister, who, in some ministries, is assisted by a minister of state. Ministers are appointed by the president, who must include at least one representative of each of the 36 states in the cabinet, and appointments are confirmed by the Senate. The administrative heads of the ministries are permanent secretaries, who are civil servants.
