National Planning Supervising Minister affirms Transformation Agenda, Vision 2020 consistency with SEEFOR Project

[FMINigeria]

The Minister overseeing the National Planning Commision, Bashir Yuguda has said that the three components of the State Employment and Expenditure for Results Project (SEEFOR) are consistent with Government's Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:2020.

Bashir Yuguda stated this in his keynote address delivered at the high level retreat organized for Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and Stakeholders of the SEEFOR Project held at the Obudu Ranch Resort in Cross River State from October 3 – 5, 2013.

The three main components of the project listed by the Minister comprise: youth employment and access to socio-economic services; public financial management reforms and project coordination and implementation support at the federal and state levels.

He further revealed that the SEEFOR project was initiated two years ago by the World Bank Country Office in Nigeria in a bid to improve the living condition of the people of the Niger Delta as part of its contribution to the Federal Government Amnesty Programme.

The Minister traced the beginning of the SEEFOR project to July 31, 2013 implementation by the four Niger Delta States of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.

With the theme: "Improving Governance and Tackling Unemployment in the Niger Delta Region – Priorities and Strategies," the retreat was planned to be a stock taking of activities executed under the project preparatory phase.

Explaining further, Bashir Yuguda noted that the preparatory phase of the project commenced with support from the World Bank in the four Niger Delta States of Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers. He expressed delight for its full execution; adding that the project is aimed at enhancing opportunities for employment, especially among youths and improving public financial management in the participating states.

"The retreat marks the end of an era – the Project Preparatory Advance (PPA) phase and the commencement of the full implementation phase of the SEEFOR project," he said.

He as well commended the SEEFOR implementing States for working closely with the Federal Government in addressing issues relating to governance and employment generation.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Secretary to the National Planning Commission, Ntufam Fidel Ugbo described the retreat organised by the National Planning Commission and the World Bank as a major activity designed to further enhance understanding of the effective implementation of the SEEFOR project.

Fidel Ugbo added that the SEEFOR project was expected to compliment Government action in addressing issues at the sub-national level, especially in the Niger Delta Region where high rate in unemployment has resulted to youth militancy and associated consequences.

The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Efiok Cobham who formally declared the retreat open on behalf of the Governor said: 'unemployment and job creation are the biggest social problems in the Niger Delta and Nigeria with the region having high rate of unemployment.'

Efiok Cobham opined also that unemployment can be tackled by strengthening the capabilities of rural people in mechanised farming. "The Cross River State Government has developed different measures and approaches towards addressing the menace," he stressed.

He itemized education and human capital development, micro-finance/credit, entrepreneurial and skills development and Songhai farming as initiatives introduced by the State to address unemployment.

In his presentation on the retreat's context setting, the leader of the Public Sector Governance Special Task Team for the SEEFOR Project, Jens Kristensen averred that the retreat will expose participants to the guidelines and operational procedures of the World Bank in the SEEFOR project. Adding, it will also enable them to learn from the experiences of experts in related projects.

Delivering a closing remark, the World Bank Country Director, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly promised the bank's continued support to the improvement of the socioeconomic lives of people globally.

Source: National Planning Supervising Minister affirms Transformation Agenda, Vision 2020 consistency with SEEFOR Project
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria