By David Torough, Abuja

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume CON, has inaugurated the 10th Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON), a landmark step in strengthening Nigeria’s geospatial governance and digital modernisation agenda.

In his address during the inaugural ceremony that took place today, 21st July, 2026 in Abuja, Sen.

Akume highlighted the evolving landscape of surveying and geospatial technology, while emphasising the critical role of SURCON in advancing Nigeria’s geospatial infrastructure, regulating and licensing surveying professionals and promoting best practices.

” In this era of rapid digital transformation, Nigeria’s future depends on a robust national geospatial data infrastructure which must be standardised to ensure seamless interoperability”. He said.

The SGF underscored the importance of updating licensing standards to include competencies in modern geospatial tools, enforcing digital practice standards and strengthening monitoring in the Oil and Gas, Mining Sectors and National Boundary Management.

Dr. Akume stressed that the inauguration marks a strategic move by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to integrate geospatial intelligence into national planning and security frameworks, ensuring that decisions are informed by verified spatial data.

“The decision to move the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation under the direct purview of the Presidency has elevated Nigeria’s Geospatial governance to the strategic level it deserves. Surveying is the backbone of national planning. Placing the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation under the Presidency aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s emphasis on transparency, infrastructure expansion, digital modernisation and efficient land administration. This has strengthened coordination across Ministries, accelerated the development of a unified national geospatial data infrastructure and will ensure that critical decisions are informed by authoritative spatial intelligence”. He noted.

SGF therefore urged the members of the Council to serve with responsibility, integrity and innovation, and to foster efforts to develop professionals through curriculum updates and capacity building to prepare a workforce for the future driven by artificial intelligence and spatial analytics.

In his remarks, the President of the 10th Surveyor Council of Nigeria, Surv. Moshood Onifade Akinwade, fnis, expressed immense gratitude to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for allowing the Council to serve Nigeria as Surveyors.
In the words of Surv. Akinwade, ‘‘The Secretary to the Government of the Federation has charged us to embrace digitisation; therefore, I assure everyone that we will not fail you. We will work diligently to achieve a digitised geographical management system for Nigeria, contributing to national development and security’’.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary (GSO) Dr. Abubakar Ibrahim Kana, mni, expressed the vital role of Surveyors in Nigeria’s development. He stated that “Surveyors play a very vital roles in every country and every society. As we can see in Nigeria, we are blessed with land, sea, and many natural resources. Therefore, Surveyors help the government in environmental planning. We cannot underestimate the importance of surveyors and their contributions to national development. The council plays a major role in the governance of Nigeria”. He said.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are laying the foundation for long-term prosperity by improving economic stability, boosting investor confidence and driving national development.

Idris made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the APC Forum of Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly (FOPSHA), led by its Chairman, Rt.

Hon. Sen. Wasiu Esinlokun, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry’s headquarters.

The minister said the Tinubu administration had, within three years, implemented critical reforms aimed at addressing longstanding economic challenges and creating a more sustainable growth path for the country.

According to him, key achievements of the administration include the removal of fuel subsidy, foreign exchange reforms, improved fiscal capacity for the federal and state governments, expansion of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), growth in external reserves, improved Gross Domestic Product (GDP) performance, major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, as well as intensified efforts to tackle insecurity.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took courageous decisions that previous administrations avoided for decades. Today, Nigeria is witnessing greater fiscal stability, improved investor confidence, enhanced infrastructure development and expanding opportunities for citizens. The foundation has been laid for a more prosperous future,” Idris said.

He urged members of the forum to leverage their experience and grassroots networks to deepen public understanding of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the long-term benefits of the administration’s reforms.

The minister also commended FOPSHA for its contributions to democratic governance and national development, assuring the delegation that the Federal Government’s media organisations—the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)—would provide coverage for the forum’s forthcoming National Executive Council and Board of Trustees meeting.

Earlier, Esinlokun said the visit was to brief the minister on the forum’s activities and seek the ministry’s support in publicising its upcoming meeting, which is expected to bring together former Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, former governors, former ministers and distinguished senators.

He said the forum remained committed to mobilising grassroots support for the Renewed Hope Agenda through sustained engagement with Nigerians across the country.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to fully embrace digital technology in the administration of justice to improve case management, records administration and overall operational efficiency.

Akume made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr.

Mainasara Umar Kogo, and members of the tribunal’s management team during a courtesy visit to his office.

He said the adoption of digital tools aligns with the Federal Government’s ongoing drive to modernise public institutions through digital transformation, improved service delivery and stronger inter-agency coordination.

“The Tribunal should continue to embrace technology to improve case management, records administration and overall operational efficiency in line with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda,” the SGF said.

Akume commended the tribunal for its role in promoting integrity, accountability and ethical standards in Nigeria’s public service, describing its constitutional responsibility of adjudicating breaches of the Code of Conduct for public officers as a key component of the country’s anti-corruption framework.

He said the President Bola Tinubu administration remains committed to institutional reforms, public sector efficiency and the rule of law, stressing that strong institutions such as the CCT are essential for sustainable national development, economic growth and boosting investor confidence.

The SGF also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening institutions that promote transparency, accountability and responsible public service in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He called for greater collaboration among government institutions to advance integrity and accountability, assuring the tribunal of the continued support of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation within its statutory mandate.

Akume further encouraged the CCT to deepen engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to improve compliance with ethical standards and constitutional obligations through public enlightenment, training, awareness campaigns and effective enforcement.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo, said the visit was to brief the SGF on the tribunal’s achievements over the past year.

He said the tribunal had implemented far-reaching reforms aimed at strengthening its institutional capacity and improving the delivery of justice.

These included inspection visits to all its zonal offices to assess operational needs, improve performance and address challenges affecting service delivery.

Kogo also disclosed that the tribunal had strengthened collaboration with other anti-corruption agencies and civil society organisations to enhance coordination in the fight against corruption and improve the administration of justice.

He announced that the tribunal had cleared all inherited and pending cases, leaving it with no case backlog, and pledged to sustain ongoing reforms, deepen institutional partnerships and continue delivering impartial, timely and efficient justice to Nigerians.