Civil Service Reforms Key to Ministers’ Success — SGF

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume has tasked the newly appointed ministers on the need to collaborate with other ministers, permanent secretaries and key stakeholders in actualising their mandates in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

SGF gave the charge at the 2-day Induction Retreat organised by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for the newly appointed ministers in Abuja.

Having congratulated the new ministers on their appointment, according to a statement by Segun Imohiosen, the director information in his office, Akume underscored the need for collaboration to achieving sustainable development.

“Your roles also require close collaboration with your colleague Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Agencies and other Stakeholders. Effective inter-ministerial cooperation will be crucial in addressing the multifaceted challenges we face, from economic recovery to social cohesion and sustainable development”, he said.

Senator Akume called on the new ministers to imbibe the tenets of transparency, accountability and excellence in the discharge of their statutory mandates as custodian of public trust.

He assured that his office will give the needed support to the new ministers in actualising their mandates and urged them to provide leadership for the ministries in the formulation, implementation and tracking of government policies, programmes and projects.

For his part, the immediate-past SGF, Boss Mustapha, he urged the ministers to work in synergy with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes in line with the eight priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, while speaking at the event also enjoined the new ministers to work in collaboration with the Permanent Secretaries in the actualisation of their respective mandates.

She further encouraged them to take advantage of the ongoing reform in Federal Civil Service, especially the Federal Civil Service Strategy Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2021-2025 and ensure that their ministries are up-to-date on its implementation.

In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordinating Unit (CDCU), Hadiza Bala Usman said that the retreat will avail the new ministers the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the key Presidential Priority Areas and how to relate with other stakeholders in their various ministries in “delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda” as the theme of the induction reads.

Director General, Directorate of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi who was one of the resource persons at the retreat, advised the new ministers to imbibe discretion in handling sensitive government documents to avoid undermining the national security.