Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, says President Bola Tinubu is ready to build a nation that aligns with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.
He made the declaration on Monday, at the opening of a retreat and sensitization programme for political aides on administrative procedure and governance in the public sector.
Restating the vision of President Tinubu’s government, Vice President Shettima said the administration is focused on making life better for all Nigerians.
“Our mission too is clear: to uplift the lives of our citizens impartially and inspire lasting change.
“Leadership, for us, means breaking down barriers of inequality and fostering a safe, peaceful society. To truly expand educational opportunities and empower our youth with knowledge for self-reliance, we must fully dedicate ourselves to our duties within the State House,” he emphasized.
The retreat, which is taking place at the Nigeria Army Resource Centre Abuja, is organised by the State House in conjunction with Direct Knowledge Consult Ltd.
The event, which is in two batches, takes place from 22nd September.
Addressing participants, which include political aides and senior civil servants, the Vice President urged them to ensure they exhibit competence in all their official conducts, to justify the confidence reposed in them.
He said: “As you man of you take your initial steps into the realm of public service, especially at the federal level, let it be clear that your competence is beyond doubt. You are here because of your formidable skills and our confidence in your potential to catalyse change.
“We are here to build a nation that aligns with the aspirations we have pledged to fulfil in resonance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visionary manifesto. In light of this, it has become essential to orchestrate his programmes dedicated to impacting a profound understanding of the intricacies surrounding confidentiality and governance.”
The Vice President admonished the participants to uphold public trust and avoid allowing their private lives to tarnish the image of the government they serve.
“As stewards of public trust at the highest tier of the government, your own is to uphold the values that underpin a well-functioning administration. I wish to underscore a crucial point. As political aides, your role extends far beyond the execution of tasks dictated by established administrative protocols.
“Your commitment to preserving confidentiality whether in the transmission or safeguarding of sensitive information related to national security and matters of paramount national significance, will indisputably serve as the hallmark of your acceptability for this distinguished role.
“From this very moment, you are bound by the laws of our land in all matters of official correspondence. These laws outline the consequences for both intentional and unintended mishandling of the information entrusted to your care,” the Vice President warned.
The Vice President also reminded the participants that the State House is a bastion of order and the engine room of the nation’s public service.
He used the opportunity to call for synergy and teamwork stating that “your primary instinct should always revolve around the recognition that you are part of a team, united in the pursuit of a shared objective. There is no need for rivalry. This, precisely, is the essence of your presence here.”
In his address of welcome, the Permanent, Secretary State House, Funso Adebiyi disclosed that the training was aimed at registering the commitment of the political aides towards actualizing the goals of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He stated further that participants would be exposed to techniques of information and document management systems to ensure the smooth running of the new administration.
In attendance at the event were the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, (DCoS), Office of the Vice President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadeja; the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Abubakar Rufa’i; the representative of the Director-General, Directorate of State Services and other senior government officials.
The theme of the retreat is “Forging a Path to Responsible Governance: A Call to Political Aides.”
