Yayale Hands Over To Anyim, Seeks Cut In Staff

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, wants the office of the SGF rationalised to make it more effective and reduce the cost of governance.

He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while handing over to his successor, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, whose appointment the government announced on Monday.

Ahmed said the SGF’s office had over the years gone through a lot of challenges which, he noted, had gradually made the responsibilities and functions of the office irrelevant and ineffective.

“I have had a critical look at the structure of the office and had recommended a review of the same with a view to removing duplication and overlapping of functions which I believe will reduce the cost of governance,” he said.

The former SGF said the review had become necessary partly because of the importance of the office to the smooth functioning of any progressive administration.

He advised Anyim against abusing the respect and confidence which he enjoyed from President Goodluck Jonathan.

Ahmed also urged Anyim to be courageous, careful, patriotic, committed and wise in taking critical decisions.

He paid tributes to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and his successor, President Goodluck Jonathan for the opportunity they gave to him to serve the country in different capacities.

Responding, Anyim extolled Ahmed’s leadership qualities, describing him as a mentor and an exemplary leader.

Anyim said that he would need Ahmed’s experience and guidance to successfully run the office.

He described his appointment as “God’s plan” because he had not thought of occupying such an exalted office.

“The only office I have contested for since I left the National Assembly was the chairmanship of my party, which I did not get. “So that was aspiration, but this appointment was God’s plan for me,” he said.

Anyim appealed to the Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the Office to assist him in continuing from where Ahmed stopped.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Anyim, a former Senate President, is the 17th Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He was born on Feb. 19, 1961 in Ishiagu, a predominantly Catholic community in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

Anyim attended Ishiagu High School (St. John Bosco), the Federal School of Arts and Science, Aba and Imo State University, Uturu, between 1983 and 1987.

For his youth service, Anyim served as the Co-ordinator, Youth Mobilisation Programme in Sokoto.

In 1992, Anyim became the Head of Protection Department at the National Commission for Refugees, Abuja.

He started his political career in 1998 when he joined the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), on which platform he was elected into the Senate.

However, the death of Gen. Sani Abacha, the then Head of State, caused the nullificationof the result of that election.

During the transitional regime of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Anyim joined the PDP where he again won election into the Senate in 1999.

Anyim was appointed President of the Senate in 2000, a position which he held until June 2003 when the tenure of the 4th National Assembly ended.

In January, 2010, he led a delegation of 41 eminent Nigerians that urged President Umaru Yar’Adua to urgently transmit a letter of his incapacitation to the National Assembly to salvage the nation’s democracy from danger.

He praised the Senate when it passed a resolution on Feb. 9, 2010, to make Vice President Goodluck Jonathan Acting President.