Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, has called on State Governments to cooperate with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in articulating a National Development Plan that truly reflects the country’s common development goals.
Agba stated this at the launch of the Development Agenda for Gombe
State (DEVAGOM) 2021-2030 held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Gombe on Tuesday.
The minister said the objectives of the Gombe State Development Agenda clearly aligned with those of the Medium-Term National Development Plans (MTNDPs 2021-2025 & 2026-2030) and the Long-Term Perpective Plan, christened “Nigeria Agenda 2050”, which the Federal Government, according to him, was facilitating with the private sector in the driver’s seat.
“Mr President, on Wednesday, 9th September, 2020, inaugurated the National Steering Committee (NSC) for the preparation of the Medium Term National Development Plans (MTNDP) 2021 – 2025 & 2026-2030 and Nigeria Agenda 2050 as successors to the Economic Recovery Growth Plan 2017 – 2020 and Nigeria Vision 20:2020 that terminated on December 31, 2020.
“The Committee is co-chaired by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs (Dr) Zainab Ahmed, for the Public Sector and Mr. Atedo Peterside, Dean of the Private Sector, for the Private Sector.
“The work on the preparation of the National Development Plans is gaining momentum daily. The governance structure put in place by Mr President for the Plans had other two levels below the National Steering Committee, namely the Central Working Group (CWG) and the Technical Working Groups (TWGs). The TWGs are 26 and they are resposnible for key thematic areas of the economy.
“In order to ensure that the new Plans remain a truly National Development Plan, all the 36 States of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory Administration as well as representatives of the Local Government Councils and Organised Private Sector, Youths, Labour Unions, Traditional and Religious organisations, among others, are all involved in the preparation process.
“I am aware that some States have produced their State Development Plans. The MTNDPs and the Nigeria Agenda 2050 will benefit from these State Plans, including the Development Agenda for Gombe State that is being launched today.
“The outcome of this collaboration shall be a National Development Plan that speaks to all the tiers and arms of government.”
The minister said: “In this regard, I urge the Government of Gombe State as well as other State Governments to cooperate with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning as we articulate a National Development Plan that truly reflect our common development goals.”
He urged the Gombe State Government to ensure that “its Development Agenda does not only address the development of physical infrastructure but also programmes focusing on citizens and youth development by providing them with opportunities for job creation and value reorientation, among others, in order to reduce to the barest minimum youth agitation and unrest.”
He continued: “I believe that the Gombe State Development Agenda is robust enough to support and encourage indigenous production, empower demand for goods and services and facilitate employment for the youth of the state. This has become very imperative in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic that has greatly limited movement, particularly, migrating job seekers, out of their States to seek greener pastures. This challenge is not peculiar to Nigeria alone as other economies of the world are experiencing the ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has forced humanity to embrace the ‘new normal’ in doing things.
“I personally consider the ‘new normal’ as not just a challenge but also an opportunity to delve into potential frontiers of development. I therefore urge the Government and people of Gombe State and indeed all Nigerians to take advantage of the new Development Agenda in refocusing and repositioning Gombe State as the quintessential ‘Jewel in the Savannah’.”
Agba also stated that the signing and operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement had opened a vista of competition within and among African countries as the Continent was gradually becoming borderless.
He enjoined Gombe State to use its Development Plan to carve a market niche for itself by emphasizing on the sectors and products where it has comparative advantage so as to find an inroad into the African Continental markets with the overarching objective of creating opportunities for its people.
He stated that “The Gombe State Development Plan should also, very importantly, seek to facilitate improving product complexity and mapping in order to acquire greater market share and space both domestically and internationally to stimulate diversification of the State revenue base.
“Gombe State Government should also ensure that its new Development Agenda is deployed in attaining global agenda such as the Sustainable Development Goals, Africa Union (AU) 2063 Agenda as well as ECOWAS Agenda, in order to be ranked among performing States as well as contribute to improving the ranking of Nigeria among successful countries in the comity of nations on the pursuit of these global programmes.”
He announced that the report of the Macroeconomic Framework produced for the Medium Term National Plan 2021 – 2025& 2026-2030 and Nigeria Agenda 2050 identified some binding constraints that had impeded the transformation of the Nigerian economy.
According to him: “These constraints are very visible at the sub-national levels of Governments and Gombe State is not completely insulated from them.
“To this end, I am encouraging Gombe State to identify the binding constraints that are peculiar to the State in the reports and leverage on its Development Agenda to address the constraints or issues.”
He said that: “To accelerate economic growth and development of the State, emphasis should be placed on such areas as Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), State tax laws reform and ease of doing business, security, growth and revenue drivers, job creation and social services, among others.
“This is to complement the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration in creating an enabling macroeconomic environment to attract more capital to Nigeria, and eliminate barriers that inhibit the growth and development of our dear country.
“It is important to place on record that we have developed various policy measures to enhance the enabling environment and ensure good and transparent governance since assumption of office.
“This has been achieved through the introduction and application of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), adoption of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative, the Presidential initiative on ease of doing business, tax reforms (TIN, tax holiday etc), strengthening of the whistle-blower policy/regime, enactment of financial regulatory institution and development of national anti-corruption strategy 2017-2021, the new Finance Act 2020, among others.”
Agba said the Federal Government would continue to support Gombe State and indeed other States in the country who have been making giant strides in local manufacturing and agricultural processing activities, among others.
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