President Muhammadu Buhari has finally appointed a Chief of Staff to the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Political watchers say this raises hopes at home and abroad that the President will keep his word to announce ministers in September, indicating policy direction and unlocking confidence and investment to re-activate the economy.
Babachir David Lawal has been appointed as SGF, while Abba Kyari is Chief of Staff to the President.
A statement by Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, said the President also approved the appointments of Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.) as Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service, while Kure Martin Abeshi is the new Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service.
Also appointed are Senator Ita S.J. Enang as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Suleiman A. Kawu as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
The appointments are with effect from Thursday, August 27, 2015 Adesina said in the statement.
The former Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs had voluntarily resigned his appointment penultimate week, to avoid been sacked by the President.
The former Immigrations boss, David Paradang, was on the other hand, suspended in the wake of ongoing investigations to unravel the circumstance that culminated in granting a visa to a suspected terrorist, Ahmad al-Assir, in Beirut, Lebanon, to visit Nigeria.
The new CG had been asked by the President to act in Paradang’s capacity at the time.
Lawal, the new SGF hails from Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State, graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree and worked with the Delta Steel Company, Aladja, Nigerian External Telecommunications Limited and Data Sciences Limited, before establishing his own ICT and Telecommunications consulting firm in 1990.
He is also a member of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) the Nigeria Society of Engineers and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.
Abba Kyari, the new Chief of Staff to the President holds a Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick in Law and Sociology. He has worked with the New Nigeria Development Company, New Africa Holdings, African International Bank, United Bank for Africa, Unilever, and Mobil in various capacities over the years.
The new Comptroller-General of Customs, Ali, holds a Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Criminology. He was military administrator of Kaduna State from 1996 to 1998.
The new Comptroller- General of Immigration, Abeshi hails from Nasarawa State. He joined the Nigerian Immigration Service in 1989 as an Assistant Comptroller. His educational qualifications include a Masters Degree in Public Administration.
Elizabeth Archibong
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