The focus of this year’s Nigerian Economic Summit (NES 24) which holds in Abuja on October 22 and 23 is good governance as a path to sustainable human and economic development.
The aim is to work towards achieving the goals of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, made this known on Tuesday when he briefed journalists in Abuja.
The theme of the summit is: “Poverty to Prosperity: Making Governance and Institutions to Work.”
According to his Special Adviser on Media, Akpandem James, the minister pointed out that the ERGP is a carefully articulated medium-term plan specifically tailored to restore the economy on the path of diversified, inclusive and sustained growth, which recognizes that execution priorities must be underpinned by a focus on governance and delivery to realise its objectives.
“Indeed, the ERGP sets out clearly that good governance at all levels is crucial for the success of the Plan,” and “it is in this context that the Plan maps out strategies to improve governance by entrenching transparency and fighting corruption, reinforcing security, reforming the public service, and strengthening coordination with sub-national governments,” he stressed.
Recalling the theme of last year’s Summit – “Opportunities, Productivity and Employment: Actualizing the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan,” the minister said that summit was out to get stakeholders’ commitment to the structural and fiscal changes required to link policy to economic opportunities, skills and competencies that deliver them so as to achieve the aims of the ERGP.
The outcome of that Summit, according to him, inspired the focus of this year’s outing, noting that government had continued to implement the various strategies outlined in the ERGP and the outcomes of the Economic Summits towards enhancing good governance and strengthening of institutions; the results of which he said were encouraging.
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Enumerating the steps taken so far, the minister said government had sustained the fight against corruption and security had also been enhanced across the country to tackle all forms of criminal activities including kidnapping and terrorism.
He added that reforms had been introduced to reduce the cost of governance, promote transparency in the management of public resources, block leakages, raise productivity and ensure value for money.
Others, he said, included efforts at moving the people from poverty to prosperity, creating employment and empowerment opportunities, combating hunger, improving health and educational infrastructure, enhancing transport and power infrastructure, among others.
The minister said this year’s gathering would accelerate progress towards the implementation of the governance component of the ERGP.
