Jonathan Appoints Anyim Pius Anyim as SGF

Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim has been appointed the  new Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Anyim’s appointment was announced, Monday, in Abuja. It will be recalled that The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohaneze Nd’Igbo, last week submitted the names of four persons to President Goodluck Jonathan for consideration as the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

 Those in list included former Senate President, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, season academics, Profs. Uzodinma Nwala and Ben Obumselu and the current Director of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr. Emeka Eze.

Anyim,was Senate President under Obasanjo from 2000 to 2003. He tried to become the national chairman of the PDP in 2007 but the governors rooted for and installed Prince Vin Ogbulafor instead.

Anyim was born on 19 February 1961 in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

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

He joined politics in 1998, as a member of then United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP).

During the Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar transition, he joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and became  a senator on its platform and was elected President of the Senate in August 2000.

All the 16 Nigerians who have been the SGF, starting from Mr. S.O.Wey (1961-66), through M.A. Ejueyitchie ((1966-70), A.A. Atta (1970-72), C.O. Lawson (1972-75), Alison Ayida (1975 -77), Ali Ciroma (1977-79), Shehu Musa (1979-1983), G.A. Longe (1984-86), Chief Olu Falae (1986-89),  Aliyu Mohammed (1990-93), Mustapha Umara (1993), Aminu Saleh (1993-95), Gidado Idris (1995-99), U.J. Ekaette (1999-2007), Babagana Kingibe(2007-08), to the current Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, had been core and competent career public servants. 

The responsibilities of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, are as follows :

i) Coordinating policy design and formulation by Ministries, Departments and Agencies for approval by Government;

ii) Serving as Secretary to the Council of State, the Federal Executive Council and other

Constitutional Councils, which are chaired by the President;

iii) Coordinating the activities of Ministries and Government Agencies on the implementation of Government decisions, policies and programmes

iv) Dealing with constitutional, political and socio-economic matters as may be referred to the Presidency;

v) Administrative Tribunals, Commissions and Panels of Enquiry; vi) Coordinating national security and public safety matters;

vii) National Honours Award

viii) Prerogative of Mercy

ix) Protocol Matters

x) Channeling of papers and directives of the President;

xi) Processing and granting Government approval for Overseas Tours, Intergovernmental Meetings/Conferences, medical check-up/treatment by Public Officers;

xii) Processing requests for Overseas Duty Tours/Conferences including medical check-up/treatment abroad for members of the Judiciary, Chairmen and Members of Statutory Commissions/Bodies for approval by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

xiii) Coordinating the appointments to Headship of Statutory Bodies, Commissions and Agencies by the President;

xiv) Dealing with matters relating to conditions of service of political office holders;

xv) Intergovernmental Affairs and relations with State and Local Governments;

xvi) Liaison with Secretaries to State Governments;

xvii) Allocation of office accommodation to Political Office Holders.

In discharging the aforementioned responsibilities, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is structured into the following Offices, each headed by a Permanent Secretary.  There are six of such offices:

*Cabinet Secretariat;

*General Services Office;

*Political Affairs Office;

*Economic Affairs Office;

*Special Services Office;

*Special Duties Office;

Then there is the supervisory roles that have also been lumped together in that office and the list is legion. The following Parastatals/Agencies are supervised by the Office of the SGF:

i) Ecological Fund

ii) National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP)

iii) National Economic Intelligence Committee

iv) Presidential Advisory Council

v) Code of Conduct Tribunal

vi) Code of Conduct Bureau

vii) Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency

viii) National Hospital

ix) Federal Road Safety Commission

x) National Commission for Refugees

xi) Nigerian National Volunteer Service (NNVS)

xii)Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

xiii) South-South Health Care Programme

xiv) National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA)

xv) National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC)

xvi) Ministry of Special Duties

xvii) Secretariat of the Presidential Council (PAC)

xviii) Secretariat of the Presidential Committee on National Identification Systems, Consumer Credit and Outsourcing initiative

xix) Galaxy backbone

xx) NIMC

xxi) Christian Pilgrims Commission

xxii) National Hajj Commission