…Says Strategic Summit will assess impact of policies, programmes on Nigerians

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has charged Ministers, Special Advisers, Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Federal Government agencies to intensify efforts to communicate the achievements of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to Nigerians.

Akume gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing participants at the Federal Appointees Strategic Summit, saying the engagement would provide an opportunity to take stock of the administration’s achievements and assess the impact of its policies and programmes on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

The SGF described the summit as strategic because it brought together key political appointees and heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to review what had been achieved and examine how such achievements could translate into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.

“This is a strategic Summit of top political appointees of government. We are referring to Ministers, Special Advisers, Chairmen and CEOs of Agencies,” Akume said.

He said the broad representation at the summit was necessary given the extensive responsibilities of government ministries and agencies across the country.

According to him, the engagement would enable participants to examine the administration’s scorecard and determine the extent to which government interventions had made a positive difference in the lives of Nigerians.

Akume therefore urged Ministers and heads of government agencies to take greater responsibility for communicating the policies, programmes and achievements of their respective institutions to the Nigerian people in clear and accessible terms.

He clarified that the summit was not designed to evaluate or judge individual Ministers or agencies, but to take stock of achievements across the MDAs and determine how those achievements could be translated into better outcomes for citizens.

“We are not evaluating. What we are doing is taking stock of what has been achieved by each Ministry and every Agency, and how we are able to influence the lives of the ordinary people,” he stated.

The SGF urged participants to engage openly and constructively, encouraging them to share their experiences, challenges and perspectives on the implementation of government programmes.

Speaking at the summit, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Henry Dele Alake, said the engagement provided an opportunity for Ministries, Agencies, Boards, Federal establishments and institutions to present their achievements and demonstrate their contributions to the Tinubu administration.

Alake urged participants to regard the exercise as a presentation of the collective scorecard of officials entrusted with responsibilities by the President.

He maintained that the administration had recorded significant strides since its inception, stressing that its achievements were based on tangible outcomes and should be communicated more effectively to Nigerians.

According to him, the focus should now be on presenting the administration’s accomplishments and demonstrating their impact across various sectors of the economy.

Also speaking, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, said President Tinubu’s decision to contest the 2023 presidential election was driven by a determination to confront longstanding challenges and make difficult but necessary choices in the national interest.

Bagudu stressed that the Renewed Hope Agenda was not merely a campaign slogan but reflected the administration’s assessment of the country’s circumstances and the policy choices considered necessary to move Nigeria forward.

He commended Akume for convening the summit, describing it as an important platform for Federal Government appointees to collectively review and communicate the administration’s achievements.

The Federal Appointees Strategic Summit brings together key Federal Government officials to deliberate on the administration’s programmes, achievements and challenges, as well as strategies for strengthening implementation and communicating its policies and interventions to Nigerians.