Tanko Mohammed
The Federal Government says it will unveil the Medium-Term Nigeria’s National Development Plan (MTNDP) for 2021-2025 soon.
The Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clement Agba, disclosed this at opening ceremony of the 19 Joint Planning Board (JPB) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
The theme of the meeting is entitled “National Development Planning in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges,”
The meeting was organised by the ministry in collaboration with states ministries of budget, economic planning and other relevant stakeholders.
The minister said that that objective of the MTNDP 2021-2025 was to eliminate poverty and create jobs.
He said that the plan would not only focus on accelerating GDP growth but it would implement the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
He added that it would also play a key role in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and African Union Agenda 2063.
Agba added that the plan would support the implementation of the Nine Priorities of government during the first medium-term period.
“These priorities are to stabilise the economy and ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products.
“They aim to achieve agricultural and food security and improve transportation and other Infrastructures.
“It will also drive industrialization, improve health, education and productivity, enhance social security and reduce poverty, fight corruption and improve governance.”
The minister also commended the state governments for the completion of implementation of the Nigeria Growth and Recovery Plan 2017-2020.
He said that the plan had helped the country to come out of the 2016 and 2020 economic recessions
“With these few achievements, we have once again demonstrated that together we can achieve so much but alone we can do so little.
“More is needed to be done on sustainable basis to ensure economic stability and to strengthen the families and businesses affected by the COVID-19 lockdown,” Agba said.
He said that the meeting would pave way for an exceptional engagement with the state commissioners and directors to examine the imperative and inclusiveness for a sustainable national development.
“The importance of synergy between the state and federal in the articulation and implementation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021-2025) and Nigeria Agenda 2050 cannot be overemphasised.
“The benefit of this approach of development would considerably maximise synergies and minimise trade-offs between the national development and state development plans as well as their implementation across the sectors and levels.
“The approach would also enhance the effectiveness and quality of outcome as well as contribute to the efficient use of our scarce resources,” he said.
