By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries for Planning and Economic Development across the country have been enjoined to formulate policy options that would enhance the development of the economy.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr Dave Umahi made the call while declaring open the 21st Joint Planning Board (JBP)/National council on Development Planning (NCDP) conference which commenced on Wednesday in Abakaliki.
This year’s conference with the theme: “Good Governance and Institutional Capacity: Pathway to Sustainable National Development”, is a gathering of Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries of Economic Planning at the Sub-national including critical Stakeholders.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe stated that in line with the theme of the conference, the State Government has placed high priority on good governance and sustainable development, adding that this was evident in the testimonies of the changed narratives of the state.
He tasked all participants both physical and virtual to follow all the proceedings and make input for the good of Nigeria.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Budget and National Planning, who is also the Chairperson of the Board, Mrs Olusola Idowu, noted that the theme of this year’s gathering was apt, considering the fact that Nigeria, for many decades, had been faced with a lot of challenges working against her development as a nation.
According to her, some of the challenges, included: weak institutions, policy inconsistencies, mono-cultural dependence on oil, weak coordination mechanism, and lack of attitudinal change.
Mrs Idowu stated that sustainable development hinged on the total commitment of both the leadership and followership, adding that both parties must work together to achieve the desired goals of the country.
The Permanently Secretary who stressed that ’’pursuant to sustainable national development, accountability, transparency, efficiency and rule of law at all levels are crucial’’, also charged stakeholders to brainstorm on the theme of the meeting, relating institutional capacity to governance at all levels and proffering policy options while taking into cognizance the peculiarities of the country to remedy the development challenges.
Her words: ‘’ I urge you to make use of the meeting and come up with far-reaching recommendations that when implemented, would improve the socio-economic development of Nigeria.”
She commended the Government of Ebonyi State for demonstrating an exemplary leadership quality in the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of the State, particularly in the areas of road construction, provision of quality education, health care services, Agriculture and strong collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Commissioners of Budget and Economic Planning Forum (CoP), Hon. Solomon B. Elisha who is the Commissioner, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Taraba State, reiterated that the JPB/NCDP event would always provide the platform for robust discussions of ideas and recommendations that would lead to sustainable national development.
He said, ‘’Good governance is essential for sustaining economic transformation in developing countries. However, many developing countries currently lack the capacity as opposed to the will, to achieve and then sustain a climate of good governance.
“The lack of good governance has been demonstrated to have corrosive effects on the development process”.
