The federal government has inaugurated a 12-member Inter-Ministerial Committee for the 2021 Independence Day Celebration to plan, organize and execute all approved activities befitting for the 61st anniversary on October 1, 2021.
The committee comprises of Secretary to the Government of the Federation as chairman while Minister of Information and Culture, Minister of Interior, Minister of FCT, Minister of Health and Minister of Investments, Trade and Industry would serve as members.
Other members are Permanent Secretary (General Services Office), Permanent Secretary (State House), Inspector General of Police (IGP), Director-General of State Security Service and Commander of Guards Brigade while Permanent Secretary Permanent Secretary (Political and Economic Affairs Office) would serve as secretary of the committee.
While inaugurating the Inter-Ministerial Committee in his office, Chairman of Committee and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, said he is confident that members of the committee would come up with innovative means of celebrating Nigeria’s 61st anniversary.
He urged members of the committee to articulate specific details of the 61st Anniversary celebration and to come up with an appropriate theme for it. In his words:
‘’As we prepare to articulate specific details of the 61st Anniversary celebration, it is also important that we come up with an appropriate theme that would speak not only to the present situation in the country but most importantly, the positive trajectory that we are all working towards for the greater benefit of all Nigerians,” he said.
He said the 60th independence anniversary was premised on a one-year celebration which spread over the period to end by September 30th 2021.
He said the committee would be implementing some of activities designed by the sub-committee which include an award night, church service, Jumma’at prayers and National Broadcast and Independence Day Parade.
He said the theme of last year’s Independence Anniversary, “Together,” has spoken to the events the nation has witnessed in the past one year which has contributed immensely in uniting the nation in spite the odds and are gradually addressing the issues that tend to separate us.
In his remarks, chairman of the Ownership Sub-Committee of the Nigeria @61 and Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Mr Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo gave the breakdown of the stewardship of the committee during the 60th independence anniversary which included the exhibition of made in Nigeria products, photo exhibitions that would showcase Nigeria’s political history, among others.
He said as part of the event marking the 61st independence anniversary, there would be Nigeria @60 Special Awards ceremony to recognise and honour 60 exceptional Nigerians who have contributed immensely to the development of the economy on September 3, 2021 at the Congress Hall at Transcorp Hotel.
