Akume tasks parastatal CEOs with grassroots campaign for Tinubu’s reforms …Forum targets 10m votes for President in 2027

"The CEOs, through their various agencies and networks, had a responsibility to communicate government policies effectively to citizens, particularly at the grassroots." Akume.

.... Says “This reform policy is not meant to imprison or impoverish Nigerians, and that is the narrative that has been spread down to the grassroots.”

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has urged chief executive officers of federal parastatals to take the message of the President Bola Tinubu administration’s reforms to Nigerians at the grassroots.

Akume said this would help counter what he described as disinformation about the Federal Government’s economic policies and ensure that citizens were better informed about the administration’s programmes.

He spoke on Friday in Abuja when he received a delegation of the Forum of CEOs of Federal Parastatals, led by its Convener and Chairman, Dr Kazeem Raji, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Technology Incubation.

The SGF, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, also accepted the position of Grand Patron of the forum.

Akume said the CEOs, through their various agencies and networks, had a responsibility to communicate government policies effectively to citizens, particularly at the grassroots.

He said, “Push this message down to the grassroots, because one thing I’ve observed in the policy right now is a lot of disinformation.

“This reform policy is not meant to imprison or impoverish Nigerians, and that is the narrative that has been spread down to the grassroots.”

The SGF commended the forum for supporting and promoting the Renewed Hope Agenda across their respective agencies, assuring the CEOs of the continued institutional support of his office.

He also urged the forum to establish a structured framework for sustained collaboration with the Office of the SGF and ensure effective communication and monitoring of its activities.

Earlier, Raji said the forum was targeting the mobilisation of 10 million votes for Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 general elections.

He said the target would be pursued through lawful, ethical, peaceful and issue-based grassroots engagement, leveraging the professional and community networks associated with federal agencies across the country.

Raji said another major objective of the forum was to bridge the communication gap between government and citizens by ensuring that the administration’s reforms, achievements and measurable outcomes were properly documented and communicated.

He said the forum would maintain “absolute fidelity to facts” in communicating government policies and programmes.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr Chidiebere John Ezeamama, called for the establishment of a centralised digital platform to facilitate real-time information sharing between the forum and the OSGF.

Ezeamama said the platform would help coordinate inter-agency participation and enable the office to track and document the developmental milestones of the various agencies.