Presidential Retreat ends, Ministers-designate set for inauguration

The two-day Presidential Retreat hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari came to an end on Tuesday, with a charge from the president to the Ministers-designate to rise to the challenging responsibilities of ministerial office.
A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina in Abuja, said that the second and final day of the retreat kicked off with a presentation on Cabinet Processes and Procedures by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha.
He said that this was followed by a presentation by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, on aligning government policies with the ideology, manifesto and campaign promises of the ruling party.
“Subsequent presentations touched on Budgeting, Civil Service Reforms, Public Procurement, the Relationships among  Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, and Effective Partnerships between Executive, Legislature and State Governments,’’ Adesina further stated.
The SGF in his remarks, announced the introduction of a new Cabinet Memorandum Review and Approval Process aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of government decision-making and policy implementation, and increasing coordination and coherence within the government.
The presidential aide quoted Buhari in his closing remarks at the retreat as reminding participants that the challenges ahead of the administration remained significant and urged them to work in collaboration.
The president urged them to give their best to the task of delivering a more prosperous country for all Nigerians.
Adesina revealed that the ministers-designate would be sworn in on Aug. 21, at the State House, after which they would be allocated portfolios by the president.
“Following the swearing-in, each minister will be given a mandate, based on the assigned ministry, and which will spell out priorities, deliverables and timelines.  
“In addition, a robust monitoring and evaluation framework will also be put in place to track the implementation of all policies and programmes over the next four years,’’ he said.