President Goodluck Jonathan has advised secretaries to state
governments to ensure good governance, accountability, due process and rule of
law for effective service delivery.

He gave the advice at the Presidential Retreat for the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Secretaries to State
Governments at Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, the president
urged state governments to partner with the Federal Government to promote
democracy, constitutionalism, national development and transformation.

“As secretaries to governments in our dear country, you are
at the epicentre in implementing, monitoring and delivery of good governance to
our citizens.

“Thus, for effective discharge of your responsibilities,
there must be effective application of sound governance practices involving the
exercise of due diligence, high standards of integrity and transparency in the
handling of the affairs of your offices.

“This is in line with the current administration’s zero
tolerance for corruption and the deepening of the Rule of Law principle in the
conduct of government business.

“No tier of government can afford to be an island unto
itself. There must be cooperation between and amongst all tiers of government
for overall national development.”

According to him, at the federal level the philosophy of
governance is one of consultation, consensus building and cooperation for
positive action to transform the country.

He, therefore, reiterated the determination of the
government to facilitate and participate in programmes to advance good
governance and sound inter-governmental relations.

Jonathan tasked the participants to always insist on
excellence, fairness and the overall good of the people in their actions in and
outside government.

In his remark, the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Mr Anyim Pius Anyim, noted that the Presidential Retreat which was
instituted in 2007,was meant to promote and strengthen inter-governmental
relation between the Federal and State Governments.

“To realise the collective objectives of the government at
both the Federal and State levels, it is imperative that the Secretaries to the
Governments constantly interact, collaborate, exchange ideas and share
information with one another.

“It is my belief that this retreat will strengthen the
partnership between the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation and Secretaries to State Governments for effective co-ordination of
government activities and efficient service delivery to Nigerians.”

Anyim assured that the offices of the Secretaries to the
governments at both the Federal and State levels would continue to play their
pivotal roles in making government effective, efficient, service- oriented and
result-driven.

According to him, one of the key strategies to realising
Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda is the commitment to strengthen
government institutions.

He said that his office was evolving a broad-based strategy
that would combine good planning, policy consistency, with a progressive
refinement guideline supported by strong framework for its implementation to achieve
a qualitative and holistic development in the country.