Nigerian Senate has passed a bill making kidnapping punishable with life jail, as against the current 10 years maximum sentence.
The bill contains amendments to the criminal code which is currently in operation in the southern part of Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is titled: “A bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code Act CAP. C.38, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.”
It seeks to delete the statute of limitation on defilement, increase punishment for the offence of kidnapping, and remove gender restrictions in the offence of rape and other related matters.
The bill eliminates time frame for prosecuting defilement cases by increasing the period from two months to as many years as the victim decide to take up the manner.
It also removes gender restrictions on the offence of rape by explaining that both male and female could be raped. Punch
The Nigeria’s Presidency has mocked the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose leadership, it said, could not differentiate between corruption and theft.
“Corruption became so normalized by the PDP that they had difficulty defining what is corruption and theft.”
Reacting to series of issues raised by the PDP since the beginning of the interrogation of suspended acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the volume and reach of the anti-corruption crusade so far reflects what the PDP left behind.
He said that President Buhari, who doubles as African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion in Africa, will not be deterred by baseless criticisms by the opposition in his determination to eradicate rampant, chronic corruption.
“The large number of cases, new and old, may appear to be daunting but PDP, which is now heckling the President, has forgotten that the party bequeathed this to the current administration. They had large number of cases they did not investigate and prosecute.”
Garba Shehu cautioned the PDP to allow the process of investigation and prosecution to work instead of being preemptive about ongoing cases and unduly agitating the public.
He expressed the hope that the Judiciary would deal with the cases swiftly and satisfactorily, in a manner that would deter other would-be offenders.
“The current administration is handling many of the cases that the PDP should have dealt with and the new ones as they arise.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has unveiled series of guidelines for Non-Interest Financial Institutions under its Agri-Business, Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS), Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF), the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) and seven other intervention schemes in its bouquet.
The issuance of the ten guidelines is sequel to plans disclosed by the Bank in its June 2020 meeting to unveil a framework that will integrate non-interest window in all its intervention programmes aimed at supporting businesses and households that have been impacted negatively by the corona virus (COVID-19).
The Bank, in the guidelines for the Operations of the Agri-Business, Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) for Non-Interest Financial Institutions (NIFIs) issued in Abuja on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, revealed the creation of a Fund to be known as ‘AGSMEIS Non-Interest Fund’ to be domiciled in a dedicated account with the CBN.
The guidelines stipulate that each Non-Interest Deposit Bank (full-fledged or window) is to set aside 5% of its profit after tax (PAT) annually as contribution to the Fund. It added that each Non-Interest Deposit Bank is also to transfer its contribution to the CBN not later than 10 working days after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the participating bank.
Eligible activities under the Scheme are businesses across the agricultural value chain, covering production, inputs supply, storage, processing, logistics and marketing; MSMEs in the real sector including manufacturing, mining and petrochemicals; MSMEs in the service sector including information and communication technology (ICT) and the creative industry as well as other activities as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may determine from time to time.
According to the guidelines, financing under the Scheme will be for start-ups, business expansion or revival of ailing companies and shall be in compliance with provisions of BOFIA (1991) as amended and the principles underpinning operations of NIFIs
The MSMEDF for NIFIs guidelines are aimed to channel low return funds to the MSME sub-sector of the Nigerian economy through participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) to enhance access by MSMEs to financial services.
Similarly, the non-interest guidelines for the AADS are aimed at engaging a minimum of 370,000 youths in agricultural production across the country between now and 2023, in order to reduce unemployment among the youths in the country.
While the specific objectives of the MSMEDF for NIFIs are to increase the productivity and output of microenterprises, job creation and engender inclusive growth, those of the AADS are to increase agricultural production towards food security, job creation and economic diversification.
The non-interest guidelines for the AADS, which is targeted at Nigerian youth between 18 and 35 years, seek to promote interaction among state governments, the CBN and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain in each state to enhance job creation in the agricultural sector, with focus on two crops where States have comparative advantage, among others.
Other non-interest guidelines issued by the CBN on Tuesday were for the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme: the Credit Support for the Health Sector; Intervention in the Textile Sector; the Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) revised guidelines (V3); the Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) through CRR; Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility (ESF) and the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI).
Speaking on the guidelines issued by the Bank, the Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okorafor said the establishment of the non-interest windows had opened more opportunities for eligible beneficiaries to be considered for funding under all the Bank’s initiatives.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has sympathized with the families of seven Police officers attached to the Special Forces Unit of the Nigeria Police Force who died in a ghastly motor accident on Sunday, July 12 on their way to Katsina State.
A statement from the Force Headquarters spokesman, Frank Mba, said that the accident, which involved an 18-seater Toyota Hummer Bus conveying eighteen personnel of the Unit, occurred at Jaji town along Kaduna-Zaria Road.
The statement said that the officers were part of an additional deployment made recently by the Force to boost the ongoing fight against bandits in Birnin-Gwari, Katsina State.
The police boss, according to the statement described the incident as a huge loss to the Force, saying that it is one of the sacrifices which officers had to make in the line of duty.
He described the deceased as Heroes of Peace.
The statement said that already a team of Police Medical Personnel has been dispatched to Kaduna State where eleven officers that survived the accident are receiving medical attention.
It said that three of the deceased officers have been buried according to Islamic rites while the remains of the other four officers have been deposited in a Morgue.
The statement said that the IGP had directed the Police Accounts and Budget Department to ensure the immediate payment of the burial expenses, benefits and other entitlements to the families of the deceased officers.
Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has made it clear that he will retire in 2023 after his second tenure with President Muhammadu Buhari, against the rumour making the rounds that he will contest the 2023 Presidential.
In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Professor Osinbajo indicated that he has no such intentions.
Laolu Akande, in a recent question and answer interaction on Instagram Live with former Presidential Candidate, Dele Momodu, said: “I’m his spokesperson and all I know he wants to do is to do this job that he has been given very well and he doesn’t have any other plans right now about any such thing. I can tell you that clearly.
“He has said to me several times, see Laolu, this is not a monarchy, we are going to be here for four or at best eight years, let’s just focus and do the work so that when we are gone, people will say we did this and that. So, he is entirely consumed with the job.”
Presidential Task Force on Control of COVID-19 has banned physical meetings of whatever type by public servants in the country. This it said, is as a result of the rising cases of coronavirus.
The chairman of the Task Force, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said today, July 14 when he addressed newsmen at the daily briefing that unnecessary travels for meetings by government officials remain suspended till further notice.
He said that the directives have become necessary in view of the rise in Coronavirus cases on daily basis across the country.
He warned that the resumption of flight operations should not be misconstrued as a license for baseless meetings.
The SGF also warned religious and political groups against flouting existing guidelines for public gatherings, saying that in the absence of cure for the deadly virus, Nigerians owe it a duty to protect themselves and others.
“Government meetings/board meetings should be conducted virtually until further notice. All unnecessary travels for meetings by government official suspended till further notice.
“All government offices shall continue to hold virtual meetings in their offices especially where participants exceed four persons and suspend all unnecessary travels for meetings;
For corporate organisations, Board members, the reopening of the domestic flights should not be misconstrued. The PTF strongly encourages virtual meetings as well.
“We still urge places of worship to cautiously follow the guide lines on public gatherings; and we urge members of the political class to exercise utmost circumspection in their gathering for whatever reasons.”
He said that the Presidential Task Force’s approach would centre around having enough oxygen nationwide as the number of hospitalized persons increase.
According to him the Presidential Task Force would establish sample collection in each of the 774 local governments in the country.
He said that the establishment of the centres across the country would ameliorate cases under the high burden LGAs classification and increase community engagement.
“Regarding compliance on IPC measures, we intend to institutionalize IPC policies in health care facilities and take step to increase compliance of non-pharmaceutical measures (use of face masks, hand sanitizers, and physical distancing)
“We will also increase engagement with the private sector, including supporting local production of PPEs and other critical supplies. Henceforth, anyone above 60 years or persons with morbidities (such as hypertension, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, cancers), should stay at home and avoid social events as they are at highest risk of infection and mortality.”
The Acting Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Mohammed Kawu, has narrated how he and members of his family lived through coronavirus and the resultant stigmatisation before they were tested negative and discharged from the Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, where they received treatment.
“Even me, I was not spared. I heard that people around the neighborhood where I live were spreading the news in fear. So we need to really work on the stigma issue.”
Dr. Kawu, in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday moments after he was declared free of the Coronavirus, said: “I developed chest infection, so I had to be on antibiotics for some days. But thank God, myself and members of my family do not have the symptoms again and we have been discharged from the isolation centre.”
The Acting Secretary emphasized the need for the people to guide against stigmatizing victims of the disease.
Dr. Kawuhe had, last week, announced that he and some members of his family had contracted the disease about two weeks earlier.
The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has described as blatant falsehood, allegations that the Commission under him re-looted the sum of N550 billion bank interests on the funds recovered from looters.
The Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA) had alleged over the weekend that the interests generated on the N550 billion recovered from looters have been re-looted under Magu. The panel probed the federal government assets recovered by the EFCC from May 2015 to May 2020.
In a statement today, July 14 by counsel to the embattled Magu, Wahab Shittu, he insisted that the allegation is a ”blatant falsehood.”
The suspended EFCC boss said that recovered funds are lodged in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), adding that funds in the TSA do not generate interests.
“It is falsehood that Magu placed N550 billion recovered loot into a deposit account. The alleged transaction never featured in the proceedings before the Salami panel. Magu was never confronted with any such allegation by the panel and the news is blatant falsehood.
“To the best of Magu’s knowledge, no such amount is in any such account and he remains aghast at such outrageous figures. No one has confronted Magu with such allegations.
“All recovered funds are lodged in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Such recovered funds do not generate interest. This is elementary and can be verified from the CBN and the federal ministry of finance.
“This can also be confirmed from other government revenue generating agencies. Funds kept in TSA account do not generate interest.”
It turned out that it is not the battle of atomic bombs or World War III as projected by some historical pundits. The pre-COVID-19 world you knew, has been permanently altered by an unseen invader, a novel virus. Much like what happened in the post-World War II, every serious nation is now engaged in a new critical thinking. Innovative and smart ways are being adopted by organizations and serious-minded individuals, about doing business and offering services. New ideas, new perspectives and planning are crystallizing to birth a world of the new normal, post-COVID.
But unlike the post-Hitler era that gave rise to the arm-race and industrial military complex, the latest shift will be about the health system, the economy and new national plans and global orders. For Nigeria, arguably, there is no better time than now to prepare for the next and most audacious phase of our nationhood.
Notwithstanding our failure to stick purposefully to plans for decades, we must still plan. That is why plan to develop the Agenda 2050 by the Federal Government, through the instrumentality of the supervision of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning is a matter of inevitable survival.
Our current experience is peculiarly novel in the sense that in practical terms, the onslaught of this virus has now openly exposed our long-ignored shared heritage as a nation to dire straits where no one is actually safe without the other. And without sounding callous or immodest, coronavirus could also have been a blessing in disguise, because we are all now conditionally trapped together, to critically reason about our collective existence for the first time since 1960.
From the ruling class to the middle-class, down to the lower class, coronavirus has made an escape route impossible. Sadly, but instructively, the social media have now validated a popular local saying: ‘We all die here.’ But we do not have to perish as a nation or get to the point of ‘all dying here.’ All we need to do is to get our priority right. This is because, not in the strangest of thoughts had anyone contemplated a situation where a rich Nigerian with a valid passport and visa would be unable to travel for medicals. This is the bitter-mindful situation we have found ourselves. It is a global reality – medical tourism has stopped, at least for the meantime while global systems are striving for a discerning and resilient health system.
Nigeria has got to make the most of the current situation and avoid the mistakes of the past. This is why the foresight of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to emplace a long-term perspective plan to aid national development must be commended. More commendable is the sagacity of Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, for making a case for an inclusive plan for Agenda 2050.
At a time, when critical thinking is forming around a “post-COVID world,” and influencing future arrangements, Agba has elected to anchor the next national plan on a new thinking that centres on inclusiveness and ownership. Most instructive about this new phase is the role of the organized private sector as the driver, while government only serves as an enabler. This new approach will certainly make Agenda 2050 to be different from others.
The Minister has promised a planning process that would be inclusive and participatory with the full involvement of the sub-nationals (state and local governments), major political parties, the National Assembly, representatives of women organisations and youths, the physically-challenged persons, religious groups and other relevant stakeholders. The magnitude of this kind of representations that cut across the broad spectrum of stakeholders brings to the development of Agenda 2050 and the two Medium-Term National Development Plans (MTNDPs 2021-2025 and 2026-2030) a clear sense of ownership from the people and collective responsibility.
The Minister’s clarity of thought is quite encouraging. According to Agba, “the aim of this all-inclusive approach is to have a true national, and comprehensive National Development Plan, where we use our diversity as our strength in the development of our economy.” Put differently, this is also an agenda that could be used to kick-start the restructuring phase of the Nigerian state by the Buhari administration. Our diverse natural resources could be exploited in a restructured Nigerian state to strengthen the nation’s governance infrastructure as well as responsible and competitive management of our public finance. Once fidelity is kept to that philosophy of accountability to the collective, the common saying that our strength is in our diversity can therefore resonate well with the context of restructured Nigeria.
Nigerians are eager to see a new commitment from the Central Working Group of the 2050 Agenda headed by Special Adviser to the President on Finance and Economy, Mrs Sarah Alade, and the Steering Committee chaired by Sir Atedo Peterside and co-chaired by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed with members drawn from various sectors of the economy, including six governors representing the geo-political zones.
Already, the various Technical Working Groups in charge of different thematic areas have been categorized under three (3) groups for ease of coordination and inauguration: Human Capital and Natural Resources, for Group – One; Infrastructure and Business Environment, Trade and Technology, for Group – Two; and, Agriculture and Water Resources and Cross Cutting Issues, for Group – Three, respectively. This is quite strategic and reassuring.
These Technical Working Groups have been saddled with the responsibility to develop the thematic areas of two new Medium-Term National Development Plans (MTNDP 2020 – 2025 and MTNDP 2026-2030) and the long-term national development plan, christened “Nigeria Agenda 2050,” designed to produce successor plans to the current Nigeria Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2020), which would both come to an end in December 2020.
This cannot be just another economic blueprint. In my previous article on the subject matter, titled: “The fundamentals of an enduring national development plan,” I said: “It is obviously looking like Minister Agba now has a symbolic timeline to work with – to give Nigeria, its first development plan pivoted on a national ideology, by 2020 (now 2021). I dare say that the team of experts assembled by the government is more than capable, to develop post-COVID-19 medium and long-term perspective plans that will be faithfully implemented by the entire country.
I also noted in the last piece that: “Nation-building requires a comprehensive national development plan; and, Nigeria, which is still an evolving entity, is earnestly yearning for a governing ideology to become a well-defined nation-state.” Of course, after 60 years of independence, Nigeria must now, as a matter of conscious effort, put in place a comprehensive plan that has “the capacity to accelerate the attainment of various regional and global Agendas, including the AU Agenda 2063, ECOWAS integration Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Although, the Federal Government has since inaugurated the Technical Working Groups (TWGs), the tasks assigned to them are however enormous: “to review existing plans, policies, programmes and projects in their thematic areas; conduct SWOT analysis of their thematic areas/sectors; review the assumptions, parameters and forecasts used in the previous sectoral plans and align them with current realities; and consult relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies in their thematic areas for the relevant data.
The overall objective, according to Minister Agba, is “to shape and mould the future into an image we would prefer which should not be limited by the prism of the present or by whatever may be in fashion at any moment.” No one knows what lies ahead after COVID-19, but the plan must definitely learn from the present experience to give the country a workable road-plan capable of taking it out of its many intractable problems and economic quagmire.
Atoye, Executive Director, Adopt A Goal for Development Initiative, contributed this piece via aristotle001us@yahoo.com
Society must rethink this issue of pretentious monogamy vis-à-vis polygamy so that in the not-too-distant future we do not end up with millions of unmarried women whose life style would be worse than prostitutes’ and millions of children whose fathers would be nowhere to be found.
The article is designed to expose the hypocrisy and pain associated with embracing false notions which are really not observed by any culture in the world, and to advise those who erroneously sentence themselves to a life of sadness and emptiness because they were deceived to believe that there is some utopia somewhere called monogamy.
I am very much aware that this article will generate a lot of controversy most especially from those who live holier-than-thou life and have continued to deceive the world that they are upholders of a doctrine that is not supported by true and enlightened interpretation of any religious doctrine.
My Greek, Italian, Russian, British, American and other Caucasians routinely visit their other wives (called by other names) with whom they have children. But back in the homes shared with the one carrying the ring, they are monogamists!
If God had wanted humanity to be monogamous He or She would not have made the pigeon the only monogamous creature. The cultures that practice polygamy had always known that at any given time, the number of available marriageable women far out number available men plus the fact that an 80-year-old man, if he has money, is still very much in the market whereas a 60-year-old woman may not be that lucky. The biological limitation to a woman’s productive age is also a factor. Why should a woman therefore remain on the shelf till age 45 when she could jolly well get married as second or fourth wife to a man who can afford to share life’s responsibilities with her? Why should a woman leave a man with whom she is No 1, simply because he took a second wife and end up being numberless in the hands of several men with whom she naturally shares bed just because of some doctrine she hardly understands?
All the women who should go and marry but are saying they do not want to share their man with another woman in a polygamous setting, are sharing current boyfriends with several other women. Where is the logic?
The argument that children in a polygamous house are always at each other’s throat does not hold water. Many siblings of monogamous families are sometimes known to have had worse and irresolvable or irreconcilable squabbles with dirty bitterness over inheritance or even other matters than children from different mothers.
The agony suffered by both men and women in the hand of unnatural laws and doctrines is too stifling for comfort. In 2002, five hundred and two Reverend mothers were reported to have died while procuring abortion in Rome (alone). Nigerian Tribune wrote an editorial on the unfortunate incident. And stories of Reverend fathers having children and sodomising young men in their care are legion! Why the hypocrisy? Why should the world continue to live the life of Ostrich?
A well known Nigerian journalist hid his other wives from his wife because his religion would not permit of it and his wife, living in monogamy should not hear of it. At his funeral, 9 Funeral Service programmes by his 9 wives surfaced and the woman parading the ring collapsed. It was the grace of God that prevented double internment that day!
Mitterrand, the former French president was discovered to have side attachment with 2 kids after he died. Meanwhile French laws restrict man to only one wife. Arnold Schwarzenegger who was married to JF Kennedy’s sister had a troubling home. He disclosed to the wife that the male child the former house maid was carrying about was actually his son. That day the Kennedy lady did not sleep in that house. She parked out of the house that night with her 3 kids. She cannot tolerate to share her husband with another woman. She is there with no other man.
So, over to those whose opinion is a hinged on whatever reason to rethink. This is becoming a wild fire that will leave no home in no distant time.
Chief Tola Adeniyi is former Managing Director of Daily Times.
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The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has described as blatant falsehood, allegations that the Commission under him re-looted the sum of N550 billion bank interests on the funds recovered from looters.
Agenda 2050: A New Thinking With Citizen Participation, By Ariyo -Dare Atoye
But unlike the post-Hitler era that gave rise to the arm-race and industrial military complex, the latest shift will be about the health system, the economy and new national plans and global orders. For Nigeria, arguably, there is no better time than now to prepare for the next and most audacious phase of our nationhood.
Notwithstanding our failure to stick purposefully to plans for decades, we must still plan. That is why plan to develop the Agenda 2050 by the Federal Government, through the instrumentality of the supervision of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning is a matter of inevitable survival.
Our current experience is peculiarly novel in the sense that in practical terms, the onslaught of this virus has now openly exposed our long-ignored shared heritage as a nation to dire straits where no one is actually safe without the other. And without sounding callous or immodest, coronavirus could also have been a blessing in disguise, because we are all now conditionally trapped together, to critically reason about our collective existence for the first time since 1960.
From the ruling class to the middle-class, down to the lower class, coronavirus has made an escape route impossible. Sadly, but instructively, the social media have now validated a popular local saying: ‘We all die here.’ But we do not have to perish as a nation or get to the point of ‘all dying here.’ All we need to do is to get our priority right. This is because, not in the strangest of thoughts had anyone contemplated a situation where a rich Nigerian with a valid passport and visa would be unable to travel for medicals. This is the bitter-mindful situation we have found ourselves. It is a global reality – medical tourism has stopped, at least for the meantime while global systems are striving for a discerning and resilient health system.
Nigeria has got to make the most of the current situation and avoid the mistakes of the past. This is why the foresight of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to emplace a long-term perspective plan to aid national development must be commended. More commendable is the sagacity of Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, for making a case for an inclusive plan for Agenda 2050.
At a time, when critical thinking is forming around a “post-COVID world,” and influencing future arrangements, Agba has elected to anchor the next national plan on a new thinking that centres on inclusiveness and ownership. Most instructive about this new phase is the role of the organized private sector as the driver, while government only serves as an enabler. This new approach will certainly make Agenda 2050 to be different from others.
The Minister has promised a planning process that would be inclusive and participatory with the full involvement of the sub-nationals (state and local governments), major political parties, the National Assembly, representatives of women organisations and youths, the physically-challenged persons, religious groups and other relevant stakeholders. The magnitude of this kind of representations that cut across the broad spectrum of stakeholders brings to the development of Agenda 2050 and the two Medium-Term National Development Plans (MTNDPs 2021-2025 and 2026-2030) a clear sense of ownership from the people and collective responsibility.
The Minister’s clarity of thought is quite encouraging. According to Agba, “the aim of this all-inclusive approach is to have a true national, and comprehensive National Development Plan, where we use our diversity as our strength in the development of our economy.” Put differently, this is also an agenda that could be used to kick-start the restructuring phase of the Nigerian state by the Buhari administration. Our diverse natural resources could be exploited in a restructured Nigerian state to strengthen the nation’s governance infrastructure as well as responsible and competitive management of our public finance. Once fidelity is kept to that philosophy of accountability to the collective, the common saying that our strength is in our diversity can therefore resonate well with the context of restructured Nigeria.
Nigerians are eager to see a new commitment from the Central Working Group of the 2050 Agenda headed by Special Adviser to the President on Finance and Economy, Mrs Sarah Alade, and the Steering Committee chaired by Sir Atedo Peterside and co-chaired by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed with members drawn from various sectors of the economy, including six governors representing the geo-political zones.
Already, the various Technical Working Groups in charge of different thematic areas have been categorized under three (3) groups for ease of coordination and inauguration: Human Capital and Natural Resources, for Group – One; Infrastructure and Business Environment, Trade and Technology, for Group – Two; and, Agriculture and Water Resources and Cross Cutting Issues, for Group – Three, respectively. This is quite strategic and reassuring.
These Technical Working Groups have been saddled with the responsibility to develop the thematic areas of two new Medium-Term National Development Plans (MTNDP 2020 – 2025 and MTNDP 2026-2030) and the long-term national development plan, christened “Nigeria Agenda 2050,” designed to produce successor plans to the current Nigeria Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2020), which would both come to an end in December 2020.
This cannot be just another economic blueprint. In my previous article on the subject matter, titled: “The fundamentals of an enduring national development plan,” I said: “It is obviously looking like Minister Agba now has a symbolic timeline to work with – to give Nigeria, its first development plan pivoted on a national ideology, by 2020 (now 2021). I dare say that the team of experts assembled by the government is more than capable, to develop post-COVID-19 medium and long-term perspective plans that will be faithfully implemented by the entire country.
I also noted in the last piece that: “Nation-building requires a comprehensive national development plan; and, Nigeria, which is still an evolving entity, is earnestly yearning for a governing ideology to become a well-defined nation-state.” Of course, after 60 years of independence, Nigeria must now, as a matter of conscious effort, put in place a comprehensive plan that has “the capacity to accelerate the attainment of various regional and global Agendas, including the AU Agenda 2063, ECOWAS integration Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Although, the Federal Government has since inaugurated the Technical Working Groups (TWGs), the tasks assigned to them are however enormous: “to review existing plans, policies, programmes and projects in their thematic areas; conduct SWOT analysis of their thematic areas/sectors; review the assumptions, parameters and forecasts used in the previous sectoral plans and align them with current realities; and consult relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies in their thematic areas for the relevant data.
The overall objective, according to Minister Agba, is “to shape and mould the future into an image we would prefer which should not be limited by the prism of the present or by whatever may be in fashion at any moment.” No one knows what lies ahead after COVID-19, but the plan must definitely learn from the present experience to give the country a workable road-plan capable of taking it out of its many intractable problems and economic quagmire.