Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Senator George Akume on Thursday, addressed participants at the symposium organized for Nigeria’s independence.
The Symposium was the second of the series of events lined up to commemorate the 63rd independence anniversary of Nigeria.
On Monday, September 25, the SGF had addressed a World Press Conference, kick-starting activities for the independence day celebration.
Nigeria’s independence day celebration is marked on October 1 every year.
Activities to celebrate the 2023 independence anniversary of Nigeria are expected to climax on Monday, October 2nd with a march pass by the military at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
Senator Akume thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for graciously approving the events planned for the nation’s 63rd anniversary and “for directing that it should be low-keyed, in line with our current economic realities.”
Senator Akume also recognized and welcomed the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, for personally attending the program, saying “this underscores the significance attached to the outcome of this symposium by the administration.”
Themed: “Actualizing the Vision of Renewed Hope for Socio- Economic Development Through Effective Leadership” the symposium was intended to shed more light on critical areas of Nigeria’s socio-economic potentials that could be explored and developed through policies and programs enunciated by the Tinubu administration.
Senator Akume said the process was critical because of the dynamic nature of the country’s socio-economic environment and the global systems.
He said it was also significant because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, during his recent address at the United Nations General Assembly, (UNGA) beckoned on the world leaders to partner with Nigeria for business and development.
He said: “I wish to inform you that eminent Nigerians who are knowledgeable and experienced have been carefully selected to speak to these issues.
“It is our expectation, therefore, that eminent Nigerians participating in this program would address these economic potentials as well as government’s policies and programs that could turn them into vehicles for achieving our aspiration of becoming one of the 20 Largest Economies of the World by 2030.
“Let me assure you that beyond the celebration of the 63rd independence anniversary, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, as the coordinating point for implementation of policies and decisions of government, has made full arrangements to document and carry forward the critical outcomes of the symposium to the highest level of political leadership.
“Where necessary, relevant national think tank institutions such as the National Institute for Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and the Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER) would be engaged to deepen the articulation.”
It was expected that the outcome would be subjected to open discussions by relevant stakeholders including the Civil Societies, the Labour sector and the academia, to enable government harness the best and most viable options.
The SGF commended the members of the inter-Ministerial Committee, for putting this program together and for giving it a strong perspective that would transcend the present celebration.
