By Nuel Suji, Abuja.
President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai as the Head of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), announcing Mr. Ishaya Dare Akau as his successor.
The SURE-P is President Jonathan’s intervention program, designed among others to generate employments for Nigerian jobless youths.
In a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, in Abuja Tuesday, the Presidency named Akau as the new head of SURE-P.
“In furtherance of his efforts to continuously re-energize and reposition agencies of the Federal Government for optimal service delivery, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has appointed Mr. Ishaya Dare Akau as the new Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P),” the statement read.
it said, “Mr. Akau, whose appointment takes immediate effect, replaces Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.) who served as Chairman of the SURE-P until today.
The new SURE-P Chairman hails from Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State and holds Bachelors’ Degrees in the Arts and Law. Mr. Akau comes to the job with years of experience as a high-level administrator in the nation’s public service.
His record of service includes tenures as Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Education Board and Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission.
President Jonathan thanks the outgoing Chairman of SURE-P, Gen Agwai for his service to the nation and wishes him well in his future endeavours.
Although, the presidency did not give any reason for Agwai’s removal, it is believed that he was sacked for flouting a presidential instruction that no government official or member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, should attend the birthday event of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, last week.
Jonathan have been at loggerhead with Obasanjo over the incessant public criticism of the current government, the climax being the recent withdrawal of his membership of the ruling party and the shredding of his membership card.
Obasanjo’s action had attracted condemnations from members of the PDP.
Agwai had replaced Dr. Christopher Kolade, an industrialist and pioneer head of the SURE-P who resigned from the office in 2013.
