The Federal Government has inaugurated a state funeral committee for the former Chief of General Staff, late Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya, with the mandate of planning a befitting burial for the elder statesman.

While inaugurating the committee, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, urged the committee to ensure that the late elder statesman would be given a befitting burial.

Director, Information, SGF Office, Mr Willie Bassey, in a statement on Wednesday, said the SGF, who was represented by Permanent Secretary, General Services in the office of the Secretary to the Government, Dr Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri stated that the state funeral committee would among other things, organise a proper burial for Diya in collaboration with Ogun and Lagos state governments.

The committee, which is chaired by the SGF, Boss Mustapha, were drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

They include Ministers from the Ministry of Works and Housing; Ministry of Information and Culture; Ministry of Mines and Steel Development; Chief of Defence Staff; Inspector-General of Police; Director-General, Department of State Services; Representatives of Ogun and Lagos State Governments and the family of late Lt. Gen. Diya; and the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (OSGF).

According to him, five (5) sub-committees were also approved by the President to facilitate the seamless execution of the state funeral programme for the late Chief of General Staff. The Sub-committees are; works and services sub-committee; funeral and security sub-committee; publicity sub-committee and accommodation, protocol and secretariat.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Governor of Ogun State, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat, assured the SGF of the preparedness of the State Government to partner with the Federal Government to give the late Chief of General Staff a grand state funeral. He added that the State Government has magnanimously donated the sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty million naira) and also upgraded the road infrastructure to ease movement to the funeral area.

While responding, the son of the former Chief of General Staff, Oyedamola Diya, on behalf of the family thanked the Federal Government and the Ogun State Government for standing by them over the demise of their father and also organising a befitting burial for him.

The son of the late statesman also released the funeral programme which will commence on Sunday, 23rd July 2023 with the service of songs and a night of tribute and climax with the final burial rites and interment on Saturday 29th July 2023. (Nigerian Tribune)

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