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On Thursday, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, asserted that the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Secretary to State Governments (SSG) were not established by law.
In the first meeting of the SGF and SSG Forum, Anyim, who also serves as Senate Chair, explained that Article 171 paragraph (1) paragraph (2) and 208 of the 1999 Constitution only mentions SGF and SSG as positions that can be appointed by the President and governors to exercise their authority.
“The SGF/SSG position is not a creation of the law,” Anyim stressed. “Articles 171(1)(2) and 208 of the Constitution only mention the SGF/SSG as an official who has the authority to be appointed by the President/governor in exercising his/her executive powers.”
He continued, “In the First Schedule Part 2 Paragraph 10 of Article 209 of the Basic Law, it is only mentioned that the positions of SGF and SSG are positions that are subject to the code of ethics process, nothing more.”
Anyim questioned whether the removal of these positions from the Constitution was deliberate or an oversight.
“I don’t know whether it was intentional or not that the framers of the Constitution did not include the position of SGF/SSG in the Constitution but continued the discussion on his/her appointment. As an executive officer under Article 171 and 208 of the Constitution, we must ensure that the role of SGF/SSG is limited to the executive branch of government.”
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He argued that the SGF and SSG positions “should be institutionalized or protected by law,” and advocated for the establishment of these roles by law. “The first step to institutionalizing the SGF/SSG role is to institutionalize the position by law,” Anyim suggested.
He also suggested seeking advice from the Attorney General of the Federation on the creation of a common warehouse to coordinate the activities of the three Nigerian government agencies. “Currently, there is no effective mechanism to coordinate or synergize the activities of the three government agencies,” he added.
SGF George Akume discussed the need for increased coordination and collaboration between government agencies saying, “In these challenging times, the importance of policy coordination and implementation is more critical than ever”.
As Nigeria faces a complex set of socio-economic, environmental and security challenges, we must take clear and concerted action at all levels of government.”
He stressed, “The success of our national agenda depends on how effectively we align federal, state, and local policies, ensuring that they are not only well-designed but also consistently implemented. Doing so requires a deep commitment to collaboration and a shared vision of our common goals.”
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