Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has given an assurance that
his administration will use the remaining years in office to
improve access to quality education, health care and enhance
productivity.
These sum up the nine priority areas listed by President Buhari
on Tuesday when he received the Letters of Credence from
Ambassadors/High Commissioners of eight countries at the State
House.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on
Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari said efforts
are being made to sustain Nigeria’s position as profitable
investment destination with unequalled incentives in all sectors,
especially a large market and flexible tax system.
According to the President, the focus over the next few years
will be to “build a thriving and sustainable economy; enhance
social inclusion and reduce poverty; enlarge agricultural output
for food security and export; attain energy sufficiency in power
and petroleum products and expand transport and other
infrastructural development.”
READ ALSO: President Buhari Calls For End To
Violence Against Women, Children
Other areas listed by President Buhari include expanding
business growth and industrialization, access to quality education,
affordable healthcare, and the fight against corruption.
He also assured the diplomats that Nigeria will remain steadfast
in pursuing deeper and valuable relations among nations, without
discrimination.
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“In our efforts to achieve a realistic domestic and foreign
policy, as well as national development, we have identified the
following nine priority areas to guide our policy directions over
the next few years.
“Build a thriving and sustainable economy; Enhance social
inclusion and reduce poverty; Enlarge agricultural output for food
security and export; Attain energy sufficiency in power and
petroleum products and expand transport and other infrastructural
development.
“Expand business growth, entrepreneurship and industrialization;
Expand access to quality education, affordable healthcare and
productivity of Nigerians; Build a system to fight corruption,
improve governance and create social cohesion; and improve security
for all,” he said.
Describing Nigerians as the “nation’s most prized assets’’,
President Buhari said the nine priority mandates were already
reflected in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, a medium-term
initiative pioneered by the government to restore economic growth
and development while leveraging the resourcefulness and resilience
of the citizens.
The President urged the diplomats to use the opportunity of
working in the country to improve relations with their governments
and people.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2020/08/26/buhari-lists-priority-areas-to-improve-livelihood-of-nigerians/
Agenda 2050: Minister
Seeks Bottom-Up Approach for Implementation
The Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem
Ikanade Agba, has stated that the Technical Working
Groups (TWGs) Anchors and Heads of Secretariat are critical to the
development of the Medium and Long-Term National Development Plans,
especially in liaising with other stakeholders such as coordinators
and deputy coordinators drawn from state and non state actors.
The Minister stated this in Abuja, while declaring open a
3-day Capacity Building workshop organized for TWGs Anchors and
Heads of Secretariat constituted for the development of the
Medium Term National Development Plans (2021 – 2025 & 2026 – 2030)
and Long-Term National Development Plans (Agenda 2050).
He noted that the history of development planning in Nigeria showed
a general lack of coordination and harmonization of
programmes/policies, which he stated had also not benefited from a
bottom-up approach, which negatively affected implementation.
“As a responsible government desirous of changing the fortune of
Nigerians and the future of generations yet unborn, the
administration of President Muhammadu Buhari desires that we
periodically draw comprehensive plans through which the welfare of
citizens can be enhanced economically, socially and politically
among others,” he added.
Agba said that the new plans being articulated were expected to
address development challenges in all aspects of the country’s
national life within the agreed timeframe.
According to him, “the planning process is also inclusive and
participatory with the full involvement of the Sub-National
governments (States and Local Governments), the Organized Private
Sector, the major political parties, the National Assembly, youth
and women organizations, the physically challenged, and other
relevant stakeholders.”
“This way, we would have a truly Nigerian National Development Plan
and not a federal government plan,” he explained.
Agba further expressed satisfaction with the various topics
selected for the workshop, which included the history and
trajectory of development planning in Nigeria; development planning
process, Institutional Arrangements for Effective Plan
Implementation, Understanding the Macroeconomic Framework for the
MTNDP 2021-2025, MTNDP 2026-2030 and National Agenda 2050,
Institutional Arrangements for Effective Plan
Implementation.
The Minister commended Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) of Germany,
co-organizers, its Nigerian Country Representative, Dr. Vladimir
Kreck for their continuous support to the Ministry and especially
in organizing and funding the programme.
He recalled that just recently, KAS partnered the Ministry in
organizing a similar capacity building programme for Special
Advisers of the Ministers, stressing that the training was timely
and impact-full as attested to by the participants.
Earlier, KAS Country Representative said the organization decided
to support Nigeria in organizing the workshop given “the manifold
social and economic problems COVID-19 had entailed.”
“This seminar will empower the participants to contribute
efficiently and successfully to the process of creating a
substantial Medium-Term National Development Plan for Nigeria”, he
added.
Imaobong Udoh
for: Director(Information)BNP
26th August, 2020.