Ministers reporting to COS is global practice — Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation

The Global Chairman of Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation, a Buhari support group, Charles Efe Sylvester, has commented on the recent publications on the role of a Chief of Staff to the President.
Sylvester said in view of the recent misconception or lack of understanding of the role of the CoS to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, it has become necessary to educate some Nigerians.
He said the role of the office of the CoS was created in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States of America.
The duties of the White House CoS traditionally encompass select and supervise key White House staff, control access to the Oval Office and the president, manage communications and information flow, and negotiate with Congress, executive branch agencies and external political groups to implement the president’s agenda.
Sylvester said: “In fact from the above you can clearly see that Abba Kyari should be given more responsibility. Yet a few mischievous persons and agents of corruption have become irresponsible in their attack on the COS.
“Hence the need to respond to some of the attacks and uninformed commentary on the directive given by Mr President for ministers to report to the Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari.
“Naturally the hullabaloo over the directive should not have been necessary but for the evil manipulation and deliberate misinterpretation of Mr President’s statement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the office of the chief of staff to the president is a constitutional creation. The 1999 constitution also spelt out clearly the roles and responsibilities of the chief of staff to the president.
“Let it be known that the office of the chief of staff is the administrative engine room to the president and as such responsible for his day to day activities, communications, fixing of schedules and appointments for the president. In short he is the clearing house of the presidency.
“So the directive that ministers should report to the COS is for emphasis so that new Minister’s can understand communications and the protocol around Mr president as his constitutional aides, while the Chief of staff is a trusted personal/official aide of the President and superintends administration in the presidency.
“The responsibilities of the COS amongst others involves coordinating activities of all principal officers to the president, communicating the directive of the president to the SGF and Chief of Defence Staff and other top government functionaries, setting up Adhoc bodies, including their terms of reference in conjunction with the SGF, clearance of all official military and civilian matters as well as preparation of executive summaries on official matters. It also includes arranging FEC meetings and meetings with military chiefs, communicating the president’s decisions on executive orders and other legislative issues amongst other.
“The role of the chief of staff is vital to the function of all Presidents of nations and not different in Nigeria.
“All agents of deception and manipulative chaos should desist from causing further distractions, so that the president can concentrate on the important issues of governance and formulate policies that will proffer solutions to our urgent need for greatness as a nation.
“All Nigerians must unite and support Mr. President for our common good and destiny.”