In what it described as a strategic restructuring of its secretariat to align with international best practices, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has appointed Dr Abdulateef Shittu as its new Director-General (DG).
The forum in a statement issued on Sunday by Yunusa Abdullahi, who is the new Director of Media and Strategic Communications explained that the changes followed a comprehensive review conducted by consulting firm Deloitte, which was engaged to re-engineer NGF processes and strengthen its role as a subnational policy hub.
The new appointments which cut across critical areas of governance, finance, security, law, and development strategy, saw the emergence of a legal practitioner with extensive corporate law experience, Edmund Nnaji, as the Executive Director, Finance and Administration.
Prof Dauda Yinusa, former Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, is the Executive Director, Policy, Strategy and Research, while Dr Ahmad Abdulwahab, an expert in health systems reform and programme management, was named the Executive Director, Programmes and Partnerships.
In the other hand, Chijioke Chuku, a seasoned lawyer with over 20 years of policy and legal expertise, was appointed General Counsel and Head of Energy, while Mrs Hauwa Haliru-Hassan was promoted to the post of Director, Gender Affairs, and also Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum.
Also, Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina, with three decades of security and conflict resolution experience, is the new Senior Security Adviser.
“The NGF is strengthening its capacity to respond to issues ranging from economic transformation and security to human capital development. This new team reflects our determination to reposition the Forum as a driver of innovation and accountability at the sub-national level,” the statement declared.
