National Development Plan will provide blueprint for economic prosperity — minister

Prince Clem Agba, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning says that the recently inaugurated National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2025 will provide a blueprint for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

Agba said this at the coordination meeting of the Regional Development Summit in Abuja.

He said that government’s regional development decisions were developmental strategy for NDP 2021-2025 and the Nigeria Agenda 2050 that would soon be inaugurated by the government.

“I want to specifically tell you that regional development is the wide-ranging, multi-level activities designed to promote wellbeing and prosperity in different regions.

“It is based on interaction between ministries, local councils, municipalities and other operators.

“In regional development, the goals and measures of different counties and administrative branches are examined together from national and regional perspectives.

“This examination covers the measures and resources for regional development and the effects of policy-making (in different sectors) toward regional development,” he said.

The minister said that the central task of the authorities responsible for regional development was to create conditions for cooperation among various region and states.

He, however, said that the meeting was to harness ideas that would challenge participants to take full ownership and proffer concrete recommendations to realign the targets to meet the national objectives as encapsulated in the NDP and other actions.

According to the minister, it is also to establish close partnership with key stakeholders and organisations at all levels, contribute to the sustainability of reintegration programmes and socially inclusive development activities that meet the regional development sector.

“It is also to establish guidelines for the development of periodic meetings to be held by regional bodies and engage regional stakeholders for enhanced public dialogue, among others,” Agba said.

He further said that the ministry’s focal point for formulation and coordination of national policies, programmes and project was in line with national development priorities.

“We are responsible for mapping out implementation strategies for prioritised government projects and programmes as contained in annual plan, budget, medium and long term plans at various government level,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs Olusola Idowu, said that the meeting was aimed at tracking progress of organisations.

Idowu was represented by the Director, Department of Social Development in the ministry, Dr Sanjo Faniran.

According to Idowu, the participants are expected to create synergy and strengthen effective coordination in the course of advancing regional growth and development in the country.

“The outcome of this meeting will assist the stakeholders appropriately to come out with clear road map on how Nigeria can take full ownership of regional potential as contained in the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2021- 2025,” Idowu said.