President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday inaugurated the National Steering Committee for the preparation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2021 – 2025 & 2026 – 2030 and Nigeria Agenda 2050 Co-Chaired by the Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed and Mr. Atedo Peterside at the State House Presidential Villa.
In his speech, the President said “It is my expectation that the Steering Committee will oversee the execution of key deliverables, including recommending measures to ensure the continuous implementation of the Plans even after the expiration of the tenure of successive Administrations – including legislation, if required.”
The mandate of the National Steering Committee is to oversee the governance structure comprising the Central Working Group and 26 Technical Working Groups.
Same day, at the inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja; Mrs Zainab Ahmed said “Today marks another beginning of a genuine effort by Government to chart the course for another National Development Plan for Nigeria.
“The last two periods that this occurred were in 2009 during the development of Nigeria Vision 20: 2020 and late 2016 with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017 – 2020.”
On the Co-Chairman, renowned Entrepreneur & Economist, Mr. Peterside; the Minister stated that his appointment by the President, is demonstrating the true intention of Government to work closely with the Private Sector.
She added that the plan is truly a National Plan that will be developed from the bottom-up in collaboration with the States, reiterating that States are members of the Steering Committee, Central Working Group and each of the Technical Working Groups alongside various sectors of businesses, the economy and the grassroots represented.
In closing, Mrs. Ahmed said “Although the two National Plans are on their way out, the question that will remain on the lips of Nigerians and which we must be ready to provide an answer with little or no prompting as we progress with the preparation of the successor Plans, is how much the Plans have transformed the Nigerian economy.”
The Minister of State Budget & National Planning, Prince Clem Agba informed the meeting about the steps taken so far towards the development of an inclusive and participatory National Plan that is sufficiently comprehensive with the capacity to accelerate the attainment of various regional and global Agendas, including the AU Agenda 2063, ECOWAS integration Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Membership of the Committee will comprise representatives of one State governor from each of the six geopolitical zones, the Senate and House of Representatives, ministers and representatives of key agencies. Other members are major political parties, ALGON, captains of industries, Labour Organizations, youth organizations and women’s societies, farmers’ associations, traditional and religious leaders, people with special needs and members of the press.
