The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has paid glowing tributes to a retired Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Ngozi Onwudiwe.
Idris also restated the commitment of the ministry to deliver on its mandate and ensure effective propagation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
The minister spoke in Abuja at a send forth ceremony to celebrate the retirement of Onwudiwe after she attained the age of 60.
Idris said the celebration was a testament of the good working relationship existing among members of staff of the ministry as well as those in the sister Ministries of Tourism and Culture and Creative Economy.
He commended Onwudiwe for promoting a culture of due process in the conduct of government business during her tenure as permanent secretary in three ministries.
‘Onwudiwe and I have been having normal squabbles that exist between ministers and permanent secretaries. There is nothing wrong with that.
‘She was trying to make
me a better administrator and I was trying to make her a better information manager.
‘However, at the end of the day, there is absolutely nothing that we have wanted to do with her for the good of the nation and ministry that we did not achieve.
‘Sometimes, it could be a little frustrating, and because I am also a due process person, I cannot jump over her to the directors.
‘ She is efficient and carries out her duties to the point that we were always on the same page.
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‘For us, we have a duty to ensure that the programmes and policies of the Tinubu administration as put down is ventilated to Nigerians so that all of us will come together and keep doing our job,’ Idris said.
Responding, Onwudiwe said she had always wanted to work with a male minister.
‘Alhaji Mohammed Idris is an angel; his background is different from mine, he is a politician from the private sector and I am a civil servant and core bureaucrat.
‘He will want something done fast. I will assure him, but add that it has to pass through due process.
‘ This is because I don’t want to do something that would put my minister in a negative light.
‘In spite of our differences, we were able to pull through as a ministry.
‘ My minister, I don’t know how to say thank you for being a good mentor to me. I can never take it for granted,’ she said.
She also thanked the heads of parastatal agencies under the ministry for the cordial working relationship she enjoyed with them.
The retired permanent secretary also expressed gratitude to all the directors and members of staff in the ministry, family members and other colleagues for being there for her.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the occasion witnessed the delivery of goodwill messages, cutting of cake by the celebrant as well as presentation of gifts.
Present at the occasion was the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria, Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, represented by the agency’s Director of Spe
cial Duties, Mr Mufutau Ojo.
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Also present were the Directors General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Jibrin Ndace and Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Mr Olalekan Fadolapo, as well as family members and other well-wishers.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria