*Position sensitive, Mustapha tells Akume
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The newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume on Wednesday assumed duty in his office as 21st SGF in Nigeria, hours after he was sworn in by the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He received a handover note from the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, including a report from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the investigation of Mr Ibrahim Magu, the former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mustapha briefed Akume during a brief handover ceremony held at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) Complex in Abuja.
He said: “There are a few pending issues for your kind attention and follow-up, which include the following: Report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Consider pending Bilateral Agreements between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Report of Presidential Committee on the Review of Number and Strategy for Resourcing Nigeria’s Diplomatic Missions World-Wide.
“Approval of the Recommendations of the Reviewed White paper on the Presidential Committee on the Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions (Goni Aji Report); and Amal Pepple Report on the new Agencies created after the Oronsaye Report, which White Paper was produced by the Ebele Okeke Committee.
“Others are report on the Presidential Implementation Committee of the White Paper on the Commission of Inquiry into the Alienation of Federal Government Landed Property; Report of the Presidential Steering Committee (formerly Presidential Task Force on COVID-19); Implementation Committee on Special Detainees Linked to Boko Haram Insurgency and the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the Investigation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of the EFCC.
“Committee on Imminent takeover of Federal Government Land and landed properties by some State Governments; Draft White Paper on the Judiciary Commission of Inquiry for the Investigation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu; Report of the Presidential Transition Council, due for submission by June 30, 2023 and the Transition Documents herewith submitted.”
Responding, Akume promised to ensure policies of the government are in the interest of the citizens.
“I am aware that this position is very sensitive. I promise to operate an open-door policy. I will not hesitate to contact my predecessor when the need arises. We will continue to do our best to ensure that government policies are in the interest of the people,” he said.
After his inauguration, the SGF noted that his wealth of experience will be brought to bear as he begins his work, adding that he will follow the footsteps of President Bola Tinubu.
He said: “I am someone who has been on the scene for quite some time and I know the man we are serving, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President and we just have to follow his footsteps. He has never been in the gallery, where is always full of critics. He has always been in the arena, where the doers are. He is a doer, so we have to tag along. We must never afford to fail.”
Benue Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia expressed delight that out of the 36 states, his state was chosen to produce the Secretary to Government.
Alia said: “I’m full of enormous joy. It is a factor of exaltation. Out of the many States, Benue is chosen and its one of our sons whom we are all proud of. We know his requisites; we know what he has offered in the past decades for the state and for the nation.
“We are very confident that he is again going to deliver and the nation is going to be proud that our choicest man for Benue is selected and sworn-in for this great job.”
Expressing the belief that the SGF will do well in his new position, his wife, Regina Akume said: “I appreciate God for all He has done to us. Words cannot express how I feel. I am so thankful to the President. My husband is a very hardworking man, very humble, kind and compassionate and I know this time too he will do his best for Nigeria.”
Those who witnessed Akume’s inauguration included: Senate President Ahmed Lawan; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr FolasadeYemi-Esan; All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu; APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore; and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno.
Also at the event were former governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Dr Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa).
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dele Alake and one-time Finance Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Wale Edun.
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