The past year most productive in Buhari's administration

President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty and all ministers must work to ensure that promise is kept, an official said Monday.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, also said the first year of Mr Buhari’s second term in office has been the most productive of this government.

Mr Mustapha disclosed these on Monday during his opening remark at the ongoing retreat for the review of performances of ministers, permanent secretaries and other top government officials working with the President in Abuja.

The event, which will last for two days, is being held at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Buhari inaugurated the cabinet members for his second term in office on August 21, 2019. Following the inauguration, many of the ministers made different promises on what Nigerians should expect from them.

Also, this newspaper in the last two weeks has been reviewing the performance of the ministers.

While some of them posted modest performances, many performed below expectations, PREMIUM TIMES’ analyses show.

But speaking on Monday, on the road map towards the delivery of the government priorities and Next Level Agenda, Mr Mustapha said the last one year has been the most productive.

“Over the course of the past twelve months, the Ministers have implemented priority projects assigned to them and presented their Ministerial Performance Reports to the Federal Executive Council. This retreat is expected to provide the opportunity for us as a Government to review the First-Year report of the Ministerial Mandates with respect to the commitment to deliver on the 9 Priority Areas of this Administration.

“It is also designed to allow for transparency on the status of implementation of Policies, Programmes and Projects of the Government and the roadmap towards the delivery of the 9-priority agenda of this Administration.

“Let me quickly remind us that as the President’s aides, our legacies will lie in how much we are able to deliver on this administration’s promises to Nigerians, which includes lifting 100 million people out of poverty.

“It is our duty to join the President in providing the leadership required to develop Nigeria and lift the bulk of its people out of poverty,” Mr Mustapha said.

READ ALSO: More knocks, little praises for Lai Mohammed as he clocks one year in Buhari’s second term cabinet.

“Let me acknowledge upfront that the last one year has been most productive. I have worked closely with Ministers with respect to ensuring effective coordination of the formulation and implementation of policies, programmes and projects. My Office has received and scheduled most of your memoranda (inclusive of policies, project contracts and presentation of Ministerial Performance review reports), for the consideration of Council.”

The SGF also said the COVID-19 pandemic has denied the government from tracking FEC approved policies, projects and programmes effectively.

‘While acknowledging that we have been unable to effectively track and monitor FEC approved policies, projects and programmes as earlier envisaged, due to the lock-down, arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, I assure you that the process will be accelerated by our Delivery Unit in the coming months.”