Osinbajo tasks NIPPS on failed government policies, programmes

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has attributed failed policies and programmes to Nigeria’s underdevelopment and urged the newly inaugurated Senior Executive Course (SEC) 43 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to resolve the failure.

Osinbajo, who stated this during the inauguration of SEC 43 of NIPSS in Jos, Plateau State, yesterday, pointed out that it was the participants’ turn to contribute to the development of Nigeria since anyone who passes through the Institute belongs to a cycle of intellectuals.

“From now on, the task of finding solution to our national problems that could affect the lives of millions of Nigerians has been placed on your shoulders. We are confident that you will discharge this duty creditably.

“This year’s theme: Getting Things Done: Strategies For Policies And Programmes Implementation In Nigeria, addresses the bane of development in Nigeria, poor implementation of policies, the gap between intentional result and delivering on campaign promises. For any policy makers, frustration is the same, yet we know about think tank but what we need now is do tank, so your task is already well cut out for you,” he said.

The Vice President, who inaugurated the participants virtually, tasked SEC 43 to unlock the mysteries of failed and poor implementation of projects and more importantly, provide practical guides to implement projects and policies, adding that was the body of knowledge required today.

Speaking, Plateau State Governor, Governor Simon Lalong, said the theme for SEC 43 Executive Course was apt and one of the crucial topics that the institute would focus on in recent times because of its importance to national development.

Lalong pointed out that over the years, several brilliant policies have been formulated in different sectors and by different administrations, adding that the paradox was that only a fraction of such policies were successfully implemented, while most of them were either jettisoned, poorly executed of totally forgotten.

“This has led to distortions in the process of nation-building where many policies have to be re-cast, implemented half-way or entirely abandoned. In the process, the nation incurred enormous losses in terms of wasted resources, manpower and time.

“Corruption, lack of continuity in government policies, inadequate human and material resources, poor leadership programmes, sectionalism and ethnic biases, and lack of political will are some of the reasons for the lack of effective policy implementation in Nigeria,” he stated.

He added that such reasons could not effectively justify the enormous resources hitherto wasted and the attendant consequences to the nation.

On his part, Acting Director-General of NIPSS, Brig.-Gen Chukwuemeka Udaya (rtd.) commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the timely consideration and approval of the theme for SEC 43, 2021 and prompt approval of the nominees list for the course.

He urged the participants to work hard towards achieving the President’s desire of finding solution to implementation of policies and programmes in the country.