EKAETTE, Obong Ufot Joseph

ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

(a) Educational Institutions Attended with Dates:

(i) University College, Ibadan (Now University of Ibadan) – 1961-1964
(ii) King’s College, Lagos – 1959-1960
(iii) Qua Iboe Mission Secondary School, Etinan – 1954-1958
(iv) Ndo Eyo Group School, Onna LGA – 1952-1953
(v) Ikot Edor Group School, Onna LGA – 1946-1951

(b) Academic Qualifications Obtained with Dates

(i) B.sc (Hons) Economics, 2nd Class Lower Division (1964)

(ii) Higher School Certificate (1960)

(iii) W.A.S.C., Division One (1958)

(iv) First School Leaving Certificate (1953)

(c) Courses / Seminars Attended

• Attended a Senior Management Course at the Administrative Staff College, Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom (May – July, 1973).

• Three weeks attachment to the Office of the President, Federal Republic of Germany to under-study the Internal Administration of the Presidency (July, 1973).

• Attended a seminar organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in Marlborough House, London, on Negotiating Adjustment Programmes and presented a paper on Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Nigeria’s Experience (1985).

• Attended a 9-month Senior Executive Course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos and was awarded a Certificate of Membership of the National Institute (mni) on the successful completion of the course (1987).

• Attended a two-week training programme on Integrated Financial Management at Euromoney Training Centre, Harsley Towers, Surrey, United Kingdom (1998).

C. WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

i. Joined the Federal Civil Service as Administrative Officer Class IV on July 28, 1964 and was posted to the Federal Civil Service Commission with responsibilities for disciplinary matters.

ii. Posted to Cabinet Office and served in the Office of the Economic Adviser to the Federal Government as an Assistant Secretary (April – October, 1966).

iii. Reposted to the Federal Civil Service Commission on October 17, 1966 and served as Acting Administrative Officer (Principal Grade) in charge of recruitment, promotions and transfers in the Federal Civil Service (October, 1966 – August, 1968).

iv. Promoted Administrative Officer (Principal Grade) – November 1, 1967.

v. Promoted to the State House as Principal Private Secretary to the Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (August, 1968 – September, 1975) with responsibility for
internal administration of the Department.

vi. Promoted Administrative Officer Grade II – April 1, 1971.

vii. Promoted Administrative Officer Grade I – April 1, 1973.

viii. Posted to Federal Ministry of Industries (September 8, 1975 – November 13, 1975) and held the post of Deputy Permanent Secretary. Also served as Chairman Industrial Training Fund during the period.

ix. Promoted Principal Secretary Grade, Level 15 (October 1, 1975).

x. Posted to the Federal Ministry of Information as Principal Secretary (November 14, 1975 – February 1979) with responsibilities for Policy and Management and Internal Administration of the Ministry. During this period, also served as a Board Member of the Nigerian Television Authority and presided over a number of ad hoc Committees on the restructuring of the Nigerian Television Authority and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria as well as the establishment of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and the Press Council.

xi. Posted to the Federal Ministry of Education as Secretary (February – May, 1979) with responsibility for Personnel Management. Also served as Chairman of the Governing Council, National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna during the period.

xii. Posted to the Federal Ministry of National Planning as Secretary for Finance and Administration, Grade Level 16 (May 7, 1979 – January, 1984) in an acting capacity and promoted to substantive position on June 1, 1980. Responsibilities included Personnel Management, Policy Formulation and Implementation, Financial Management, Co-ordination of Nigeria’s Relations with Multilateral Economic Organisations and Bilateral Economic Co-operation with Foreign Governments and Organisations as well as Policy issues relating to the operations of the Federal Office of Statistics, Centre for Management Development (CMD) and Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER). Participated during the period in several high-level bilateral talks between Nigerian and Foreign Governments and served as Leader of Delegations at official level in a number of Joint Economic Commissions between Nigeria and Foreign Countries both in Nigeria and abroad. Also responsible for co-ordinating the work of the Ministry at the official level whenever the Permanent Secretary was away on leave or official assignment abroad. Also served as a member of the Administrative Staff Posting and Promotions Committee.

xiii. Posted as Secretary, Public Service Department in the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Military Government and Head of Service (January 12, 1984 – January 31, 1985). Responsible for Management of the Administrative Cadre of the Civil Service and Senior Management Staff of Professional Cadres of the Service.

xiv. Director, External Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance (and Alternate Governor for Nigeria on the Board of the African Development Bank) (February 4, 1985 – January, 1986).

xv. Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industries (January, 1986 – February, 1987).

xvi. Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (February – May, 1988).

xvii. Director-General, the Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFFRI) (June, 1988 – March, 1989).

xviii. Director-General, Federal Ministry of Social Development, Youth & Sports (March, 1989 – January, 1990).

xix. Director-General, Planning, in the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning (January – September, 1990).

xx. Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State / Vice Chairman, State Executive Council and State Security Council; Chairman, Finance and General Purposes Committee and State Boundaries Committee. Also had statutory responsibilities for
Local Government Affairs (September, 1990 – January, 1992).

xxi. Chairman, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja (July, 1992 – August, 1994).

xxii. Member, Assets and Liabilities Sharing Committee, Plateau / Nasarawa; and Enugu / Abia / Ebonyi States (October, 1996 – February, 1997).

xxiii. Retired from the Federal Civil Service in February, 1994 after 30 years of distinguished career and engaged in Private business thereafter.

xxiv. Non-Executive Director of First Bank of Nigeria PLC (March, 1996 – May, 1999). Resigned on appointment as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

xxv. Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), (May, 1999 – May 2007) (Longest serving SGF in Nigeria).

xxvi. Appointed Pioneer Minister of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (January, 2009 – March 17, 2010).

D. OTHER POLITICAL POSITIONS / ACTIVITIES

(i) Member, Peoples Democratic Party, National Caucus: May, 1999 – May, 2007.

(ii) Member, Peoples Democratic Party, State Caucus, Akwa Ibom State: May, 1999 – May, 2007.

E. RECOGNITIONS / HONOURS

• National Honour:
National Honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) (November, 2000).
“For sense of integrity, devotion to duty and selfless service to the Nation in the field of Administration”.

• Chieftaincy Awards:

(i) Obong Ifiok Akwa Ibom by the Traditional Rulers Council of Akwa Ibom State.

(ii) Adaidaha ke Efik Eburutu by the Obong of Calabar, Cross River State (December 15, 2001).

(iii) Bobagbimo of Ondo Kingdom by the Late Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Ondo State (May 10, 2002).

(iv) Obong Unwana of Onna, by Onna Local Government Traditional Rulers Council.

(v) Atta of Eket Traditional Rulers Council, Eket Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State “in recognition of outstanding contributions towards the Development of Eket generally, and particularly in the enhancement of the Status of Integrity of Eket Nation”.

• Recognitions by Academic Communities:

(i) Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science in Public Policy and Administration (Honoris Causa) by the Council and Senate of the University of Uyo, in recognition of outstanding record in the Public Service and contributions to the development of the Country (June, 2001).

(ii) Awarded the fellowship of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa (FFPN) (July, 2003).

(iii) Conferred with Dr Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award, Ghana (2003).

(iv) Elevated Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management by the Board of Fellows and Council of the Nigerian Institute of Management (September 27, 2004).

(v) Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.) (Honoris Causa) of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, by the Senate and Council of Olabisi Onabanjo University in recognition of various contributions to the development of the Nation in various sectors (2005).

F. COMMUNITY SERVICES

(i) Life Patron, Onna Development Union.

(ii) Patron, Afigh Iwaad Ekid, (Eket Youth Association, Akwa Ibom State) (October, 2002).

(iii) Patron – Youth Association of Core Oil Producing Communities of Akwa Ibom State.

(iv) Patron, Akwa Ibom Professionals Association.

G. RELIGIOUS MATTERS

(i) Knight of St. Christopher (KSJ).

(ii) Chairman, Church of Nigeria’s (Anglican Communion) Committee for National Award for Integrity and Excellence (August – July, 2008).

H. PAPERS PRESENTED

• Presented several papers and keynote addresses at Local and International Workshops on Leadership, Government Budget, Security, Public Policy, Inter-Governmental Relations, Planning, Poverty Alleviation and Anti-corruption including:

• “Public / Private Sector Relations in Nigeria: A Review” being a paper presented on October 26, 1999 at a Workshop organised by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, at Gateway Hotel, Ogun State.

• “Public Accountability and National Development” presented at the Nigerian Economic Society’s Annual Public Lecture, NICON (now Transcorp) Hilton Hotel, Abuja, December 16, 1999.

• “Challenges of National Security” presented at the First Presidential Retreat on National Security held at International Conference Centre, Abuja, August 10 – 12, 2001.

• “Concept of Public Policy Formulation – This Administration’s Experience” presented as Guest Lecturer at the Senior Executive Course 23, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, July 30, 2001.

• “Constituency Relations as an Indispensable Strategy for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria” presented as Keynote Address at Regional Workshop on Constituency Relations: South-South Zone, organised by the Office of the Special Adviser on National Assembly.

• “Harmonious Relationship Amongst the Top Functionaries of Government” presented as Keynote Address at the 4th Ministerial Retreat, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, February 23, 2001.

• “Funding University Education in Nigeria” presented on the occasion of the Fund Raising at the University of Uyo, June 8, 2001.

• “Monetisation of Fringe Benefits as Public Policy” presented as Guest Speaker at the University of Lagos Annual Lecture Series (November, 2003).

• “The Role of University Education” being an Acceptance Speech on conferment with the degree, Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) (Honoris Causa) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University at its 15th Convocation Ceremony, February 11, 2006.

•Hobbies:

Tennis, Reading and Writing