MEET THE NEW SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION - BOSS GIDA MUSTAPHA
The new Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Boss Gida Mustapha, is a lawyer, management consultant,
business man and politician.
Mr Mustapha was a Deputy National Chairman of the
defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, one of the legacy
parties that formed the ruling All Progressives Congress,
APC. Before the appointment of Babachir Lawal as SGF, Mr
Mustapha was one of the likely candidates for the plum
post.
On June 23, 2016, the president approved Mr Mustapha’s
appointment as the Managing Director/CEO of the National
Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA.
Born in Adamawa State, Mr Mustapha attended Hong
Secondary School, in Hong Adamawa state and North East
College of Arts and Sciences Maiduguri Borno state in 1976.
He bagged his Bachelor of Law (LL.B) from the Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria in 1979 and was called to bar in
1980.
From 1980 to 1981, Mr Mustapha did the compulsory
National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, – Directorate of Legal
of legal Services at the Army Headquarters and was in
charge of review of Court Marshall Proceedings.
After his National Service, he joined Sotesa Nigeria Limited,
an Italian consultancy firm, as an Executive Director in
charge of Administration, leaving in 1983 to join the
prestigious law firm Messrs Onagoruwa & Co in Lagos.
With his law practice fully taken off, the MD was appointed
Principal Counsel in the firm Messrs Mustapha &
Associates, His legal interests and expertise included
privatization commercialization and Liberalization of Public
Companies/Corporate and Government Parastatals. He was
also involved in preparation of varied and miscellaneous
banking documents such as Debentures, Guarantees,
Mortgages, Bonds and Loan Syndications.
One of Mr Mustapha’s career highlights was his
appointment as a member of Interim Management
Committee, IMC, of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust
Fund, PTF, serving meritoriously from 2000 to 2007.
At the PTF, he was responsible for production of an up-to-
date comprehensive project and programme report,
including location, coverage and whether performed,
performing or abandoned production of final report of
Assets and Liabilities, examination of the Administrative
structure and cost effectiveness of pf Projects and Services
among other duties.
Mr Mustapha also played key leadership roles at the
Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) serving as Social Secretary
and Chairman at the Yola branch.
After his stint at the PTF in 2007, Mr. Mustapha was
appointed Principal Partner of the law firm, Adroit Lex. His
law practice and the burning desire to serve the larger
society conspired to attract the MD into politics, at various
times, he was member Federal Republic of Nigeria
Constituent Assembly (1988-1989), Chairman People’s
Solidarity Party-Gongola State (1989-1990), state chairman,
Social Democratic Party-Gongola State (1990-1991); he was
even a gubernatorial candidate for SDP in Adamawa state
in 1991. He was the Deputy National Chairman of the
defunct Action Congress of Nigeria from 2010 to 2013. In
2007, he again played a prominent role, serving as the
Deputy Director General of the party’s Presidential
campaign Organization. His services remained in high
demand after the fusing of CAN joined forces with other
parties to form the All Progressive Congress (APC). He was
a member of NCC and Secretary APC Presidential Campaign
Organization Mobilization (2015) and member, APC
Transition Committee (2015). He is also a member, APC
Board of Trustees.
In addition to the NBA, the MD is a member of various
professional bodies including African Bar Association
(ABA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association, International
Bar Association (IBA) and Human Rights Institute (HRI). But
Mr. Mustapha’s accomplishments go beyond politics and
the Bar; he is respected boardroom guru, having been
appointed into the boards of several companies in the
manufacturing financial services as well as oil and gas
sectors. He is the National Vice President, Full Gospel
Business Men’s Fellowship international Nigeria.
The MD has travelled extensively visiting no fewer than 30
countries, and always taken interest in how waterways
assets are managed in those countries. His address to
management staff on assuming office set the tone style
and direction of his administration. He stressed teamwork
and the need to focus on the Authority’s vision and mission.
He is also said: “Just call me Boss, there is no need calling
me Manager; I don’t have nicknames.”
Married with children, Mr Mustapha enjoys golf, lawn
tennis, travelling, documentary films, charity work and
meeting people.
Source: National Inland Waterways Authority.
Thanks to: Sulaiman Babayo Danfulani.
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