in

Buhari Inaugurates Transition Committee

Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian the president-elect, inaugurated a 19-member Transition Committee to liaise with its Federal Government counterpart to ensure a smooth transfer of power. They were inaugurated on Wednesday in Abuja.

A statement issued in Abuja by Lai Mohammed, the national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said the terms of reference of the committee includes to develop a clear framework for liaison with the out-going administration for the purposes of a smooth hand-over/take-over and to receive hand-over documents from ministries, departments and agencies and also itemise the most important or most urgent issues confronting the in-coming government

It said the committee is also saddled with reviewing and making preliminary assessment of the balance sheet of government with particular emphasis on the status of assets and liabilities of government; cash flow position of the government; quantum of public domestic and external debt of government and their deployment; government’s out-standing contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations and the status of implementation of capital projects.

The committee is also expected to undertake a preliminary assessment of the security challenges facing the country and the counter-insurgency measures taken by the government thus far; the counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area.

The committee will assess in particular, the status of the amnesty programme, the readiness of the Police and other national security and intelligence agencies in addressing threats to law and order and provide a brief over-view of CBN, NNPC, NCC, Customs and FIRS.

Other terms of reference of the committee include to suggest “quick fixes” which will result in tangible, visible and practical measures so that “change” will be seen after 30 days, after 100 days, after 6 months of the administration taking office.

The committee has two weeks to conclude its work, and is expected to also make any other observations, which in its view would be helpful to the transition and take-off of the new administration.

Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja on Wednesday, Buhari charged the committee to ”assess the information provided to you and advise me on its quality and accuracy. It is a simple matter that you must have the right information if you are to shape appropriate policy decisions.

”Needless to repeat, that your committee – and indeed our government – are not on a witch-hunt or engaged in fault-finding. We want the facts and nothing but the facts. What has been done cannot be undone. Our job is to learn from the mistakes of the past and attempt to avoid similar.”

Buhari hailed the calibre of the committee’s membership, saying they represent some of the best Nigeria can offer. He described the committee chairman, Ahmed Joda, as one of the few surviving links between First Republic civil service to the present day, a man whose versatility includes farming, industry and 21st Century IT.

Some of the transition committee members include Ahmed Joda – chairman; Doyin Salami – vice-chairman; Ogbonnaya Onu; Festus Odimegwu; John Oyegun, APC national chairman; Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State; Tam David West, former petroleum minister; Lai Mohammed, APC national publicity secretary; and Adamu Adamu.

Bottom of Form

Follow Us on Social Media

Author

Written by Segun Adeosun

Global Press Freedom Declines As Nigeria Ranks ‘Partly Free’

Why Nigeria and Africa’s Economy Will Slow Down