By Chimezie Godfrey
The new Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, has assumed office on Friday in Abuja.
Enitan, who was redeployed from the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, called for cooperation from the directors and staff of the ministry, and for a smooth working relationship.
The Perm. Sec. who also acknowledged that there was a huge task at hand as Nigerians look up to the ministry for succour, assured that maximum cooperation would be accorded to the Minister Dr Betta Edu to enable her achieve President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
He said,”The first time you are seeing me I’m a stranger, but subsequently I’m a familiar stranger. And there is this saying that a stranger is a friend you do not know, so I have the potential of being a friend, and I believe I’m coming to meet friends here. The directors and the entire entire staff. So not only friends, but family members.
“So I’m coming here with that expectation that I’m coming to work with friends who will support me. Nobody can claim to know it all. I will rely on you, I depend on you. And note it, I’m not coming here to reinvent the wheel. I’m coming here to to leverage the good works he has done here. And you have all attested to it that he has done so well.
“The task at hand is huge. I am not oblivious of what lies ahead. And that is the need for this ministry to take the lead in implementing the eight point agenda of mr. president to restore hope to the hopeless and mr. president is the architect. He has come up with the drawing with the plans, we are the ones to interpret the plans and implement them accordingly.
“Which means as the machinery of government that implements government policies, programs and projects, the task ahead of us is daunting, and we cannot afford to disappoint the people out there who have huge expectations of us.
“So it is an open challenge. You have done a lot, but I believe that there is still room for improvement. And that is what we’re all going to work together collectively in pushing the agenda of mr. president to wipe away tears from the faces of Nigerians, and to make this country a more prosperous and recognized country in the global arena.
“I believe it is doable, it is achievable, and with our dynamic, amazingly elegant and intelligent minister in place.
I believe that it is our duty to rally around and make sure that as she leads we follow, and guide and implement all that we have to do, all the things she pushes to us very well.
“Let me quickly say this, that whatever we do resources are involved. And when we manage resources of government, we should do this with something at the back of our minds. And that is to ensure value for money, value for money in such a way that whatever is expended, there is justification in terms of the output and fitness for purpose. Fitness for purpose, in the sense that once it is meant for a, it is spent for a, and judiciously and in a manner that is commendable.”
The erstwhile Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo while handing over to the new Permanent Secretary thanked the management team of the ministry for the good working relationship, and urged them to extend thesame support to his successor.
He also urged them to be prepared to face the new challenges that comes with the new leadership’s agenda, as he assured of his continues support to the ministry.
