By Dipo Olowookere
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mrs Nana Fatima Mede, has restated the current administration’s commitment to adopting the principle of strategic planning in the management of the national economy.
Mrs Nana Fatima stated this in her opening remarks at the meetings of the Joint Planning Board (JPB) and National Council on Development Planning (NCDP), organised by her ministry in collaboration Kano State.
The theme of this year’s JPB/NCDP meetings is ‘National Strategic Planning as a Vehicle for Attachment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria.’
The meetings will hold between August 23-25, 2016.
While still speaking, she said that the JPB meeting is an annual Consultative Forum of Permanent Secretaries responsible for Economic Planning, Special Advisers from Federal and States’ ministries responsible for Economic Planning matters.
Accordingly, the Permanent Secretary also explained that, with a view to further enriching the discussions at the meetings, other participants at the forum include; Organised Private Sector (OPS), the Academia and the Development Partners.
The JPB meeting sets the tone for the meeting of the NCDP coming up on Thursday, August 25, 2016, where the higher body consisting of States’ Commissioners and Chief Executives of Planning and Budget Ministries/Agencies, with the Minister if Budget and National Planning presiding, will endorse the resolutions of the JPB.
This year’s JPB meetings are structured to accommodate three (3) side events focusing on the 3 sub-themes namely; Private Sector as Catalyst for the Diversification of the Economy; Attracting Alternative Financing for Sustainable Development; and Enhancing Research Innovation and Capacity Building for Effective Planning, Implementation and Monitoring.
A key feature of the meeting also according to Mrs Mede, will be a special session on the economy with His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Adedapo Adesanya