PRESIDENT
Goodluck Jonathan has directed all ministers with request for approvals
from his office to forward such on or before May 13, as he bids to wrap
up everything about the handover to the new administration before the
May 29 date.
The president indicated that he would like to formally hand over to
the president-elect, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, on May 28 over
dinner, so that the new president could have May 29 for himself.
The Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) are, therefore, to
submit their briefs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation
(SGF) next week Monday, so as to enable the president to prepare his
handover notes on time.
These decisions were communicated to the ministers during the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Jonathan at
the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Minister of Information, Mrs Patricia Akwashiki, who briefed State
House correspondents after the meeting, also assured that government
activities would not grind to a halt during period of transition,
cautioning that government would not engage in activities to suggest it
was rushing through some programmes before its exit.
She said: “You know we are already in transition. So, there is very
little to report. What we discussed with the president in council, he
emphasised on the need for all MDAs to submit their handing over notes
to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on
20th of this month. That is next Monday. So, we are going to be very
busy this weekend putting our handing over notes together.
“The president also emphasised that he would require another little
briefing from all MDAs to indicate inherited projects, how far it had
been executed and initiated projects by his administration and the level
of completion, whether completed, ongoing or abandoned. So, that was it
at the council meeting.
“We discussed other issues, but particularly paid attention to the
transition and how to make it effective. As you are all aware, we have
transitional committee already set up by the president, headed by the
vice president, Namadi Sambo. Other than that, we have an inaugural
committee, headed by the SGF. So, everything we are doing, we are doing
to achieve smooth transition, getting all our notes together.
“By May 28, the president intends to have the formal handing over
done at a dinner, so we can reserve May 29 for the incoming government.
By May 28, we expect to have concluded one way governance and we are
welcoming incoming government.
“Also, you know May 29 is our Democracy Day. So, we have activities
lined up all through that week, showcasing all we have achieved and all
other things we do normally on our Democracy Day. Except that this year
is special with the inauguration of our new president that is coming
up.”
On why the deadline of May 13 was given to the MDAs to submit their
notes, Akwashiki explained that it was necessary to enable the SGF have
enough time to coordinate the notes before passing it to the president.
She added: “It is for the MDAs to submit their notes to the SGF, who
will handle the total package of the handing over to the incoming
administration. It doesn’t mean that the exact notes that will be passed
on.
“There is a format to follow and so it becomes easier for all the
MDAs to follow the template. If they do that, it will be easier for the
president to compile everything.
“The format is to ensure you submit everything before they pass it to
the incoming government. That is not to say that governance has
stopped, of course we are in government until the day the
president-elect takes oath of office.
“There is no space or vacuum. There are things happening and if you
have any pending contract approval, it has to be submitted before May
13. Everything that requires the president’s approval should be
submitted before May 13.
“We also do not want the incoming administration to accuse us of
rushing projects which is normal, so we are guided by that. And if you
have approvals, we are going to have FEC every week. The last, which
will be the valedictory one, will be on May 20. So, governance is not
stopping. We are still working and in the event you have approvals, it
must be concluded before May 13.”
source
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