The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, has charged communication managers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritize the safeguarding of government documents and ensure the dissemination of correct and truthful information that upholds national security.
Sen. Akume delivered the charge at a One-Day Capacity Building session on the Role of the Official Secrets Acts in Maintaining Confidentiality and National Security.
The event was organized by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office in his office, Sen. Akume stressed the gravity of leaking official secrets, describing it as a felony without defence under Nigerian law.
He reiterated the critical importance of accurate information dissemination in government operations.
“The leaking of official secrets is a felony and there is no defence for such an act, either in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Freedom of Information Act,” Sen. Akume affirmed.
He highlighted the training’s purpose to enhance strategic communication skills among public servants, aligning with the government’s commitment to transparent policy implementation and internal communication.
On his part, Dasuki Arabi, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), stressed the workshop’s goal to empower communication managers to maintain confidentiality and promote national security.
He emphasized the role of effective communication in fostering national unity and leveraging social media for governance in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Also speaking, Dr. Ike Neliaku, National President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), emphasized the responsibility of communication practitioners in handling sensitive information.
Additionally, Dr. Christopher Isiguzo, National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), commended the training for enhancing understanding of the Official Secrets Acts and promoting best practices in managing information.
The workshop provided a platform for participants to exchange experiences, discuss strategies, and reinforce their commitment to responsible communication practices within the framework of confidentiality and security.
Recall that the Federal Government recently uncovered and removed 1,618 civil servants with illegal and fake employment letters from the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System over the past year.
This was revealed by Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, during a media parley marking the 2024 Civil Service Week.
According to her, the physical verification process conducted by various MDAs has reduced the federal civil service workforce from over 100,000 to 69,308 verified employees on the payroll.