National Development Plan 2021 – 2025: Inauguration Of National SteerCo For The Implementation

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REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE (NSC) FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NIGERIA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (NDP) 2021 – 2025, STATE HOUSE CONFERENCE ROOM, ABUJA ON THE 14^TH OF FEBRUARY, 2023

PROTOCOLS

It is my pleasure to address you today, at the inauguration of the National Steering Committee (NSC) for the implementation of the Nigeria National Development Plan (NDP) 2021 – 2025. It will be recalled that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, launched the National Development Plan, which was presented in three volumes on Wednesday, 22nd December, 2021. Volumes 1 and 2 contained the Plan Sectoral Policies and Costed Capital Programmes and Projects of Federal MDAs respectively, while Volume 3 contains the Legislative Imperatives designed to remove binding constraints to growth and enabling environment for the private sector to take the lead in the effective and successful implementation of the Plan.

There are two governance structures put in place to facilitate the effective and successful implementation of the Plan. First is the National Steering Committee (NSC), chaired by the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with members drawn from the public (Federal, State and Local Governments) and private sectors, as well as members of the civil society and development partners.

The other structure is the Development Plan Implementation Unit (DPIU) at the Planning Arm of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. The Unit reports to the National Steering Committee NSC through the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Honourable Minister of State for Budget and National Planning. The Hon Minister of State for Budget and National Planning serves as the Vice Chairman of the National Steering Committee( NSC.)

Our meeting today is therefore to formally inaugurate the National Steering Committee (NSC) which is required to provide the necessary policy guidance and leadership for effective and successful implementation of the Plan. The inauguration of the National Steering Committee, under the chairmanship of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a testament to the determination and commitment of the government to provide the desired political will and leadership for effective implementation of the new national development plan.

It also shows that, going forward, the Government of Nigeria is determined to make a paradigm shift by ensuring that agencies and institutions make necessary commitments and account for the level of implementation of programmes and projects within their respective sectors, especially those that were admitted into the National Development Plan, with a view to increasing and improving infrastructure stock in Nigeria.

The National Development Plan 2021 – 2025 projects an annual average economic growth rate of 5 per cent throughout the duration of the Plan. This average annual growth is predicated on a total capital investment size of about N348.1trillion, out of which Private Sector capital expenditure is estimated at N298.3 trillion (85.7 percent), with only N49.7trillion (14.3 percent) for the Public Sector.

Federal expenditure is estimated at only N29.6 trillion or 8.5 per cent while sub-national governments’ (States and Local Governments) expenditure is estimated at N20.1 trillion or 5.8 per cent. With this financing structure, it is clear that the execution of the Plan would be largely private sector driven with governments at all levels providing appropriate enabling environment to support private sector investments.

We may also recall that a pillar of this government’s commitments is to reduce poverty by moving 100 million people out of poverty to the path of prosperity in 10 years, by the end of 2030. In this regard, NDP 2021 – 2025 was designed to lift 35 million people out of poverty and generate 21 million jobs by the end of 2025.

It was to facilitate the implementation of the Plan that the Planning Arm of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, in conjunction with MDAs, developed the Implementation Plan for 19,156 costed capital programmes and projects that were admitted into the Plan at the federal level to help in facilitating the tracking and monitoring of the implementation of the Plan.

Being a National Development Plan however, all levels of governments are expected to work together to achieve a common result. Therefore, the Development Plan Implementation Unit (DPIU), which also has members drawn from the sub-national levels, is encouraged to harmonise the different state plans with the National Development Plan in order to have a national record of achievement for each sector. For example, we should strive to achieve a national aggregate for sectors like education, health, agriculture, environment, etc. I therefore call on all state governments to work with the Planning Arm of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to achieve this national objective.

We appreciate the fact that the targets and effort already put in place by the Ministry could hardly be achieved without effective, adequate and committed leadership at the highest political level of government, at the Federal and State levels. It is for this reason, that the Government decided to constitute the National Steering Committee (NSC) under the chairmanship of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with 6 State Governors, one from each geopolitical zone as members.

Members of the Committee are:

1. Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria – Chairman
2. Honourable Minister of State, Budget and National Planning – Vice Chairman
3. Permanent Secretary, Budget and National Planning – Secretary
4. 6 State Governors (1 Governor from each geopolitical zone) – Members
5. CEO of the Budget Office of the Federation – Member
6. CEO of the National Bureau of Statistics – Member
7. Honourable Minister of Works & Housing – Member
8. Honourable Minister of Power – Member
9. Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment – Member
10. Honourable Minister of Transport – Member
11. Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development – Member
12. Honourable Minister of Environment – Member
13. Honourable Minister of Health – Member
14. Governor of CBN – Member
15. GMD of NNPC – Member
16. Representative of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) – Member
17. Representative of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) – Member
18. Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) – Member
19. Representative of Development Partners – Member

The overall aim of establishing the National Steering Committee (NSC) and the Development Plan Implementation Unit (DPIU) is to lay the foundation for a strong institutional base, structures and systems that would drive and ensure efficient and effective implementation of the targets in the National Development Plan 2021 – 2025, towards building a prosperous country.

The specific objectives are as follows:

• To ensure efficient management of the implementation process of the Plan;
• To reduce bureaucratic processes in the governance process;
• To gradually professionalise planning functions for capacity sustainability;
• To begin the process of institutionalisation of Plan implementation within the Ministry and other MDAs;
• To facilitate manpower development and adequate utilisation in the public service to drive the implementation of the Plan; and
• To exercise cooperation and coordination towards effective implementation of national development plans by all MDAs.

The scope of work of the National Steering Committee shall include the following:

1. Coordinate, monitor and ensure full implementation of Government policies and programmes;
2. Ensure strategic policy priorities agreed annually at the annual agenda- setting and prioritization exercise are consistent with National Development Plan 2021 – 2025; and
3. Submit the Nigeria Development Report (NDR) to the Presidency and National Assembly.

May I also clarify that the National Steering Commitee is a national assignment and membership is institutional and outlives an administration. Indeed, this particular National Steering Commitee will in a few months hand over to a new Adminstration. This calls for dedication and hardwork to lay a solid foundation in the relatively short time left.

So while congratulating all members on their membership of this epoch- making Committee, I also wish you great success in this onerous task.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is now my singular honour and privilege to formally inaugurate the National Steering Committee for the Implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021 – 2025.

Thank you for your kind attention.