The process of actualising the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to lift over 100 million Nigerians out of poverty has commenced, the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs Sen. George Akume has said.
The Minister disclosed this on Monday at the opening of a Special Retreat organized by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and inter-Governmental Affairs.
The conference had as its theme: “Strategies For Actualization of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs”.
Akume said that the purpose of the retreat is to appraise key issues relating to the actualization of its mandate and designing framework for realising the objective.
Akume commended President Buhari for finding it worthy to recreate the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs with the mandate among others to implement Special Programmes and Projects on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Minister pointed out that the retreat was very timely and strategic, adding that “it underscores our singular drive of facilitating sincere discussions on a matter of utmost national interest.
“I am confident that the retreat will address relevant and topical issues that would enable participants to gain valuable insights into the perspectives, policies and strategies that will shape the growth and development of the Ministry towards contributing massively to the present Administration’s Next Level Agenda.
‘’It is a fact that the recreation of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs is a confirmation of the present administration’s commitment to improve governance and ease access of government to the people at the grassroots.
“It is on record that the Ministry is charged with several responsibilities among which are monitoring, verification and authorizing all payments on constituency projects and evaluating the implementation of federal executive council policies, programmes and projects by other ministries, departments and agencies and report back to the president in council.
Akume who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Festus Daudu explained that the ministry recreated to engender development and to boost government activities across various sectors.
“It is in this regard that we are all gathered here today to fashion out the path towards actualization of the Ministry’s laudable and enriching mandates.
The need for a comprehensive policy and strategic direction to craft a road-map for the implementation of government policies programmes and projects therefore cannot be overstated.
‘’In the light of the new focus of the Ministry, there is a dire need to define a definite action strategy to support the numerous on-going national programmes of the Next Level Agenda of this administration. The potential of the Ministry as a tool for socio-economic development is not in doubt.
“Our collective will and determination are therefore required at this time to pave the way for sustained growth and development,” he said.
While assuring Nigerians that this government is working very hard to put the economy on the right track, he averred that the country have already begun to see appreciable improvements in some sectors of the economy.