The Federal Government has denied allegations that it set up a panel to reconstitute boards of parastatals. A statement signed by Willie Bassey, the Director of Information from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OGSF), clarified this on Sunday evening.
According to a report by Sunday Punch titled ‘FG sets up Panel to Reconstitute Boards of Parastatals’, it was claimed that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, had established an ad hoc committee to review resumes of individuals for board appointments. The committee was said to be co-chaired by Atiku Bagudu, a former governor of Kebbi State, and Abubakar Badaru, a former governor of Jigawa State.
However, in response to the report, Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, strongly refuted these claims. He stated that there was no truth in the story published by Sunday Punch and that the government had not established any ad hoc committee to review resumes for board appointments.
Senator Akume clarified that the visit of Atiku Bagudu and Abubakar Badaru to his office was unrelated to the alleged ad hoc committee. It was instead related to their recent appointments as ministers.
The statement also highlighted an inaccuracy in the report, stating that the spokesperson of the OSGF was misquoted regarding the exemption of 14 agencies. The release in question had only received the President’s approval for two agencies, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC).
In conclusion, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation advised media personnel to verify information directly from authorized sources in his office rather than relying on potentially inaccurate social media reports. He emphasized the importance of cross-checking information with authorized persons to avoid inaccurate reporting.
