The Federal Government has banned officials of government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, from giving out unverified information.
OsunDaily News reports that the development was contained in a memo signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, with Ref.No.Z.4 XXXIV 943 and dated May 2, 2023.
According to Mustapha, the restriction is to curb conflicting and contradictory information given out by its agencies.
The memo was addressed to the Chief of staff to the president, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President, Minister/Ministers of State, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, National Security Adviser, Economic Adviser to the President and Special Advisers/Senior Special Assistants.
The memo revealed that“The prevalence of discordant statements by public officials on issues especially, bordering on purported shortcomings of Institutions of Government, have been observed.
“These statements are often, made in public without necessarily, cross-checking with responsible Ministries, extra-ministerial Departments, and Agencies thereby, seeming to disparage such institutions.
“More so, the statements tend to be traducing and do not portray “One Government” and as such, create a negative perception among the citizenry.”
Others copied in the memo include the Chief of Defence Staff/Service Chiefs/Inspector-General of Police, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission; Chairman of the Police Service Commission; Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
Also copied in the memo is the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Chairman of the National Population Commission, Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission.
Others on the list are Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Department, Clerks to the National Assembly, Chief Registrar, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Secretary, National Judicial Council, Accountant General of the Federation, Auditor General of the Federation, Surveyor General of the Federation, Director General/Chief Executive of parastatals, agencies and Government owned Companies.
