The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that the era of “godfatherism’’ is over.

Highlights:

• The minister stated this in Abuja on Sunday at a thanksgiving reception by the newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Culture, Ms Grace Gekpe.
• Represented by Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stated that appointment to positions in the Federal Government “is strictly by merit’’.
• “Gone are those days when people were appointed into positions by other factors apart from merit.
• “Most of us must have heard that the new permanent secretaries were asked to write examination; Gekpe was one of the very few that scaled through the examination.
• “She is a permanent secretary by virtue of hard work, merit and because she has a lot of things to offerm’’
• “The Ministry of Information and Culture has a very big responsibility and there is the need for sufficient funding for it and its agencies.
• “The government is doing a lot of things, but it is being misrepresented by naysayers.
• “This is the time that the government needed to raise an army of competent information managers to counter the false and negative narratives about the administration.’’
• The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita enjoined Gekpe to present her life and tenure to God for wisdom and guidance and as well show understanding and loyalty to her minister and the administration.
• “She is called to serve the nation and in doing this, she should face her duties with dignity, integrity and understanding that this is a government of change, it cannot be business as usual.
• “She has to be an epitome of incorruptibility, she should be efficient, productive, and be a citizen centred- permanent secretary’’.
• In a brief remark, Gekpe pledged to discharge her responsibilities with the fear of God and in support of the government’s programmes.
• NAN reports that a thanksgiving service was held at the Living Faith Church, Jahi District, before the reception.