Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday added his voice to the criticisms that has trailed the statement by President Muhammadu Buhari directing his ministers to channel all their meeting requests to him through his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Daily Independent, George said asking ministers to go through the Chief of Staff will slow down governance and delay decision-making.

It will be recalled that the President had at the close of the two-day retreat organised for the ministers, asked them to always go through Kyari for meeting requests and through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, for issues relating to the Federal Executive Council.

He reiterated the same thing on Wednesday while inaugurating the ministers.

He said, “As I said yesterday (Tuesday), in terms of coordinating communication, kindly ensure that all submissions for my attention or meeting requests be channelled through the Chief of Staff while all Federal Executive Council matters be coordinated through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in order to speed up the process of decision-making.”

George, who said he cannot fault President Buhari’s methodology, however, said Ministers should be able to have direct access to the President having appointed them as his assistants in overseeing strategic ministries.


He said under the PDP, ministers have direct access to the President and they are not restrained from discussing challenges in their ministries or sharing ideas on how to improve productivity.

“My take is this: there is a saying that different stroke for different times. Maybe that is the methodology the President wants to adopt. During the era PDP was in power, the way we operated when we were in government, ministers have direct access to the President because as executive president, he appointed them and entrusted the running of such strategic ministries to them to manage”.

“ If he now decides to have a clearinghouse or chokepoint, to me personally, that will delay decision making. As a Minister, when you go to the President, you have discussions with him on the challenges you are facing in your ministry and if you need his assistance in one way or the other, you can tell him immediately. That is the way we operated”.

The Atona Oodua of Yorubaland also argued that asking Ministers to go through the Chief of Staff will slow down governance rather than speeding it up as the President had said and that according to him will not be in the best interest of Nigerians.

He said the Chief of Staff also has his daily busy schedules and asking him to add Ministers’ brief to it will only make the job more tedious.

“ There is no legality about it so if the President thinks that is the best style he wants to adopt, I wish him the best because he will delay decision making. There is no time to fritter away now in Nigeria. Every minute matters a lot in governance because the people are hungry and they are therefore very angry. That is one major issue”.

“As a leader, you fast-track decision making but when you are mandated to see the Chief of Staff before seeing the President, it means you have to first take your case to the Chief of Staff before he now takes it to the President”.

“Don’t forget, he is also human and he has his duties already. He is responsible for the daily programmes and activities of the President, in terms of his timing and arrangement so that there is no collision of events”.

“If a Minister wants to see the president, he should go straight, see him and take quick decisions. The whole thing will slow down governance and that to me will not be in the interest of Nigerians” he said.

https://www.independent.ng/asking-ministers-to-go-through-abba-kyari-will-slow-down-governance-bode-george/

From an ex convict

Shut up APC arselicker. The old man made a valid point.

Afamed:
From an ex convict

Ode, it's actually the other way around.

This ex-convict obviously is clueless per the meaning of Chief Of Staff.

Abeg shut up.

Sabigogo, can u pls tell us the role of the Chief of Staff?

plaindealer:
Ode, it's actually the other way around.

This ex-convict obviously is clueless per the meaning of Chief Of Staff.

Abeg shut up.

hisexcellency34:
Sabigogo, can u pls tell us the role of the Chief of Staff?

Primary responsibilities of the White House Chief of Staff

The duties of the White House Chief of Staff vary greatly in each administration, according to the needs and desires of each president. The position typically plays both a managerial and advisory role that encompasses several important functions:

Select and supervise key White House staff

Control access to the Oval Office and the president

Manage communications and information flow

Negotiate with Congress, executive branch agencies, and external political groups to implement the president’s agenda.

https://www.dummies.com/education/politics-government/what-is-the-role-of-the-white-house-chief-of-staff/

Control access to the Oval Office and the president, manage communications and information flow, and negotiate with Congress, executive branch agencies, and external political groups to implement the president’s agenda.

https://www.mic.com/articles/24050/white-house-chief-of-staff-isn-t-the-position-you-think-it-is

I was going to ask you to google, but you won't and instead keep arguing so here it is. I did it for you, hope this is enough education.

Rubbish..we are talking of a reasonable Chief of Staff, you are here referring to this clannish old fellow

plaindealer:











I was going to ask you to google, but you won't and instead keep arguing so here it is. I did it for you, hope this is enough education.

hisexcellency34:
Rubbish..we are talking of a reasonable Chief of Staff, you are here referring to this clannish old fellow

lol.... Who is we?

You asked for the role of a chief of state and I obliged and educated you, now it's about your own twisted and warped definition about a reasonable chief of staff.

This is not about your own twisted personal opinion, bitterness and hatred against other people, it's about the job description of a chief of staff.


Hatred indeed cultivates ignorance.

Stop spewing trash. APC has nothing to offer

plaindealer:



lol.... Who is we?

You asked for the role of a chief of state and I obliged and educated you, now it's about your own twisted and warped definition about a reasonable chief of staff.

This is not about your own twisted personal opinion, bitterness and hatred against other people, it's about the job description of a chief of staff.


Hatred indeed cultivates ignorance.

God bless you. Pardon his stupidity

MadamExcellency:


Stop this stupidity, Secretary of State or Defense or any other head of department in USA don't report to Chief of Staff because Ministers are not the Staff under his department.

Even Ambassadors have direct line with the presidency in US.

White House Staff or Aso Rock staff are not policy makers as Ministers or Secretaries in the case of US.

MadamExcellency:


Stop this stupidity, Secretary of State or Defense or any other head of department in USA don't report to Chief of Staff because Ministers are not the Staff under his department.

Even Ambassadors have direct line with the presidency in US.

White House Staff or Aso Rock staff are not policy makers as Ministers or Secretaries in the case of US.

1. PMB did not ask them to report to his Chief of staff, he asked them to go through him to seek audience with him.

2. The secretary of state can not match straight into the president's office without appointment that the chief of staff scheduled and approved.

3. It doesn't matter who you are, you must go through the chief of staff to seek audience with the president.

The chief of staff runs the office of the president and nothing gets in front of the president without getting cleared or scheduled by the office of be the chief of staff.


PERIOD.

NGpatriot:



1. PMB did not ask them to report to his Chief of staff, he asked them to go through him to seek audience with him.

2. The secretary of state can not match straight into the president's office without appointment that the chief of staff scheduled and approved.

3. It doesn't matter who you are, you must go through the chief of staff to seek audience with the president.

The chief of staff runs the office of the president and nothing gets in front of the president without getting cleared or scheduled by the office of be the chief of staff.


PERIOD.

Hate has eaten up Igbos brain,walahi!

MadamExcellency:


Stop this stupidity, Secretary of State or Defense or any other head of department in USA don't report to Chief of Staff because Ministers are not the Staff under his department.

Even Ambassadors have direct line with the presidency in US.

White House Staff or Aso Rock staff are not policy makers as Ministers or Secretaries in the case of US.

Talking about stupidity, you really should have looked in the mirror or just read over your own post because it exudes stupidity.

To start with, educate yourself about what was said and exactly what the president is demanding. He did not say anything about reporting to anybody, he basically asked people to do the right thing by scheduling an appointment with his chief of staff and his office.

Nigerians are used to disorderliness, they don't like to do things the right way, every Nigerian and big man think they are very important and they should be allowed to show up inside the president's office anytime they want regardless without any considering the president's time and schedules.

Is it better for you to schedule appointments instead of showing up and finding out that the president is unavailable because he's in a meeting, he's seeing other people or other people are waiting to see the president or he's scheduled to receive or meet ambassadors, groups or he's flying out to an event somewhere?

It's all about orderliness and doing things the right and appropriate way like they in America that you referenced.

Funny how you people love to reference and tell us how they do things in America, but you still can not act and conduct yourselves like Americans, you still thing disorderliness and lawlessness is your prefered way of life.

Nigerians are just too unruly for their own good.

Next time before you reference America, learn how to conduct yourself like Americans



@ Bode George the old relic, the ex-convict, and lawless joker.

Things slow down when people show up anytime they want to see the president regardless of who the president is seeing, regardless of his scheduled engagements for the day, regardless if he's meeting the ambassador from Argentina or Romania.

Why not just do the right thing by booking your own time slot conflict-free and be received and attended to appropriately.