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By Myke Agunwa, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has appointed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, to head an Inter-Ministerial Committee that will organize a state funeral for former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The committee is tasked with the responsibility of planning and coordinating a befitting state burial for the immediate past president, who passed on Sunday at a private clinic in London after a protracted illness at the age of 83.
While confirming the establishment of the committee, in a statement on Monday, The Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the SGF, Segun Imohiosen, reported that other members of the committee are the Ministers of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Budget and Economic Planning; Defence; Information and National Orientation; Works; Interior; FCT; Housing and Urban Development; Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare; as well as the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.
Others are the National Security Adviser; Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters; Inspector-General of Police; Director-General of State Services; and the Chief of Defence Staff.
The Office of the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (GSO), will serve as the Secretariat to the committee.
“In honour of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, President Tinubu has also directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs to open condolence registers at the entrance of their respective offices for the public to pay their respects to the late Elder Statesman.
“Additionally, a central condolence register for the diplomatic community and the general public will be opened at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the SGF has announced the postponement of the scheduled meeting with Secretaries to the State Governments SSGs earlier slated to hold on July 15 and 16, 2025 in Jos, Plateau State.
“The decision is in honour of the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and in observance of the state burial and period of national mourning declared by the Federal Government.
“A new date for the meeting will be communicated in due course”, the statement added.
The Katsina state governor, Dikko Radda had earlier announced that the body of the former President will arrive the country on Tuesday to be followed by burial same day in Daura at 2pm.