SDGs: Telling Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire’s success score card and applause for President Buhari

By Abubakar Yusuf

Since her assumption of duty in the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, as the SSA to the President under the Presidency, but now moved to Ministry of Humanitatian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, the wave of successes achieved have been on the front burner which attracted many commendation both from the international communities and Nigerian leader, President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is a positive fall out to both leadership intiatives of the SSA and her team as well as the impactful activities and mitigation carried out in the last four years of her ascension to the position.

Following the activities of the agency with utmost attention, Nigerian President never leave any stone unturned with the collaborative efforts of both the local handlers and foreign colaltaborators, like the UN General Assembly.

Hence, in view of the post COVID-19 protocol encouraged by the activities of the body in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari held a virtual meeting to further advance the course of SDGs in Nigeria.

This development is on the basis of life expectancy of many Nigerians after the pandemic, that will be dependent on redoubling the activities of SDGs, as a focal body to address the dire effects of the current situation in line with the good policies and programmes of the local handlers, under the current Management in Nigeria, having relived confidence of the International bodies to invest more in these critical areas.

His unminiced statements of a robust collaboration with the National Assembly through its committee both at the green and red Chambers was enough impetus that guaranteed leadership qualities in the SDGs.

Knowing fully well that the foreign donors and collaborators believed strongly in transparent and accountable synergy, involving the Lawmakers of every nation, as the hub of checks and balances, particularly in job execution, allotment, finance as well as records and feedback.

The President assured the foreign members of SDGs that the handlers in the last four years had changed the entire procedure and process, as lawmakers are deeply involved in the chain of its activities in Nigeria, unlike what was obtainable in the previous order.

Nigerian leader expressed confidence in the activities of the SDGs in its ability to handle both statutory, economic diversification through fighting poverty, combat illicit financial flow by ensuring seamless distribution of funds through projects of development both in the rural and urban settlers, as well as ensuring economic recovery amidst challenges of the current pandemic.

He assured the UN General Assembly that the current handlers’ show of frugality, due dilligence and hardwork, is capable of taking the goals to the next decade span from 2020-2030 spread at the grassroots.

The current managers programmes and conviction occassioned the refocussing of the SDGs activities to wholly grassroots, not only that, it had also created an enabling environment through appointments of NYSC members, a programme that toe the same line with the SDGs, as well as 17 iconic leaders to manage the 17 goals of the programme.

This two local collaborators and their activities will be clearly spelt out to further enhance and sustain the success already recorded by the current managers both as champions and ambassadors.

This development has shown alot of both political and natural will by the current administration to continue its supports to the current leadership under Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

Aside this two critical sectors, SDGs will appoint and train more sub-national to become SDGs champions.

The period under review, the domestication of the activities of SDGs had not been in doubt in Nigeria, through it’s commitement to 2020-203O agenda for SDGs, through which other internationally agreed goals is strengthened.

SDGs efforts in Agriculture through provision of fertilisers, farming inputs and seedlings will also diversify into both Economic and Mining to widen its scope.

Already, realignment of the SDGs program through developement of home grown integrated Sustainabe Developement goals’ as a framework for assessing policies to address the indivisible nature of the SDGs.

In the last four years, a model known as private sector advisory group and donors forum is in place to attract critical stakeholders towards the attainment of SDGs. This was corroborated in July, 2020, through the presentation of ‘Voluntary National Review’ of SDGs to the UN political forum to ease more development to Nigeria.

This effort was geared to enable the current Management do more in critical areas like economy, health, education, gender equality, well being and create enabling environment for peace, security and partnership.

This also will encourage the country to mainstream all SDGs programs with a view to meeting it’s targets and expectations.

The Management is also determine to create more SDGs outlets by annualy refocusing its targets and priorities towards the welfare of ruralites.

This is in addition to applying the SDGs simulation model to inculcate the 36 states of the federation to be on the same page of developement,financing and poverty geared towards lifting 100 million Nigerians from poverty level in line with the National Financing framework for SDGs, and the scale up National social investment program to lift more vulnerable people from the poverty line between the next ten years.

This achievements in the last four years by the leadership of SDGs in Nigeria, has attracted more committment on the part of government, geared towards economic emancipation and recovery, social security and as well equilibrium and political stability.

Abubakar Yusuf writes from Abuja