Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, has said President Muhammadu Buhari had begun to lift over 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
Akume spoke at the opening of a four-day special retreat organised by the ministry with the theme: Strategies for Actualisation of the Mandate of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter- Governmental Affairs.
The minister, who was represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Festus Daudu, said the retreat was meant to appraise key issues on the actualisation of its key mandate and design a framework to realise the objectives.
He hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for recreating the ministry with the mandate, among others, to implement special programmes and projects on behalf of the Federal Government.
“…It is on record that the ministry is charged with several responsibilities, among which are: first, monitoring, verification and authorising all payments on constituency projects.
“Second, evaluating the implementation of Federal Executive Council (FEC) policies, programmes and projects by other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and report back to the President in council, and
“Third, conducting, coordinating and promoting good and harmonious relationships among the three tiers and arms of government and relevant international bodies.”