Buhari gives Joda’s committee 2 weeks
President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated his transition committee which will liaise with the out-going administration for purposes of a smooth hand-over on May 29.
The 19-member committee is headed by former federal permanent secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Joda and it has two weeks to finish its work.
Speaking at the inauguration, Buhari charged the committee to assess the information provided to it by the government and advise him on its quality and accuracy.
“It is a simple matter that you must have the right information if you are to shape appropriate policy decisions.
“Needless to repeat, that your committee – and indeed our government – are not on a witch-hunt or engaged in fault-finding. We want the facts and nothing but the facts. What has been done cannot be undone. Our job is to learn from the mistakes of the past and attempt to avoid similar,” Buhari said.
He also hailed the calibre of the committee’s membership, saying they represent some of the best Nigeria can offer.
A member of the committee and APC spokesperson Alhaji Lai Muhammed later in a statement said the committee would receive handover documents from ministries, departments and agencies ( MDAs) and itemise the most important or most urgent issues confronting the incoming government.”
He said the committee “is also saddled with reviewing and making preliminary assessment of the balance sheet of government with particular emphasis on the status of assets and liabilities of government; cash flow position of the government; quantum of public domestic and external debt of government and their deployment; government’s outstanding contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations and the status of implementation of capital projects.”
He said the committee is also expected “to undertake a preliminary assessment of the security challenges facing the country and the counter-insurgency measures taken by the government thus far.”
He said it will also study the counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area and the status of the Amnesty Programme.
The committee, he said, would also study the readiness of the police and other national security and intelligence agencies in addressing threats to law and order and provide a brief overview of CBN, NNPC, NCC, Customs and FIRS.”
Other terms of reference of the committee are to suggest “quick fixes” which will result in tangible, visible and practical measures so that change will be seen after 30 days, after 100 days, after six months of the administration taking office, and to make any other observations which in view of the committee would be helpful to the transition and take-off of the new administration.
He described the committee chairman, Malam Ahmed Joda, as one of the few surviving links between First Republic civil service to the present day, a man whose versatility includes farming, industry and 21st Century IT and one of Nigerian’s precious assets.
Other members of the committee are Dr Doyin Salami (deputy chairman), Malam Adamu Adamu (secretary), Chief John Oyegun, Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Boss Mustapha, Senator Hadi Sirika, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Wale Edun, Dr Festus Odimegwu, Mrs Bola Adesola and Mrs Nike Aboderin.
The rest are Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN), retired General Lawal Ja’afaru Isa, Muhammad Hayatuddeen, Barrister Solomon Dalung, and Prof. Tam David West.