Follow Us on Google
- Akume sheds tears of joy, says its a privilege to serve
It’s a touch job, be ready for the challenges – Mustapha
From Juliana Taiwo, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu, Wednesday, swore-in Senator George Akume as the 21st Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The brief event, was witnessed by dignitaries, including some service and former former governors, saw Senator Akume taking his Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office at about 11:06 am inside the Council Chambers of the Villa.
Speaking to State House Correspondents, in tears the immediate past Minister of Special Duties, pledged that he will not disappoint Nigerians.
He said he was privileged out of millions of Nigerians to serve the nation in that capacity.
“To have been selected to serve in this exalted position out of over 200 million Nigerians, it is a challenge to serve in line with the oath I have taken today. I assure Nigerians I will do my best, I will not disappoint the President, I will not disappoint this country and I will not disappoint my party.
“I believe, Nigerians will find fulfilment in my responsibilities as I discharge that in their own interest. It is an honour to serve the country and I am strongly persuaded that guided by Almighty God, I will do my best and Nigerians will really have to reap the dividends of democracy.
The Secretary to Government of the Federation (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.
“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,” Akume said.
Also speaking, Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, said he was elated that out of the 36 States, Benue was chosen to produce the Secretary to Government.
He 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.”
Wife of the new SGF, Regina Akume, also assured the nation that her husband will do well in his new position.
“I appreciate God for all that 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,” she assured.
The immediate past SGF, Boss Mustapha, advised his successor to brace up for the challenges ahead because it is a tough job he is taking.
“This is a tough job; I wouldn’t want to mince words about that. It is an extremely important office in terms of coordination of government’s activities and also stringing government policies, programmes and projects.
“It is his responsibilities to guide the government so, there is enormity. Under his office he has six Permanent Secretaries so, it is a combination of five to six ministries in one place that will be reporting to him on different agencies.
“But the most important part of this office is the fact that he is the beam light of this government in terms of driving, coordination and policy formulation. So it is not a small job but I am confident that he has been ably prepared and groomed for this job and I believe he will take the office a notch higher than where I am leaving it,” Mustapha said.
Akume, 70, was Governor of Benue State from May 1999 to May 2007.
Following his tenure as governor, he was elected into the National Assembly as the Senator representing Benue North West Senatorial zone in 2007.
He was re-elected in 2011 and 2015, demonstrating the trust reposed in him by his constituents.
During his term in the Senate, Akume served as Minority Leader from June 2011 to June 2015.
Prior to his political career, Akume started work as a civil servant in the Benue State Civil Service in 1979 as a Land Officer.
Over the years, he held various positions in both the State and Federal governments, retiring voluntarily as a Federal Permanent Secretary, Establishments and Management Services, in 1998.
Among those who witnessed the ceremony were Vice President Kashim Shettima; Senate President Ahmed Lawan; Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr FolasadeYemi-Esan and the spouse of the new SGF, Mrs Regina Akume.
