By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, has hailed the European Union for supporting the Nigerian Government with 1.125 million Euros for implementation of the National Economic Policies (EU-SINEP).
The Minister said this while flagging off the EU-SINEP in Abuja on Tuesday described gesture as an important milestone in assisting the Ministry deliver one of it’s key mandates on National Development Planning.
The Minister in his keynote address also commended the EU Delegation for facilitating the approval of the Financial Commitment for the Technical Assistance.
He stated that the Project is a measure under the 11th European Development Fund,EDF, National Indicative Programme (NIP ) is an expression of EU’s commitment to promotion of government’s effectiveness, capacity development and service for sustainable growth and poverty reduction in Nigeria.
Agba said, “I wish to therefore extend the deep appreciation of the Government and good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the EU for the strong support and assistance, which brought this project into fruition. ”
“The EU-Support to implementation of National Economic Policies Project is not the usual one-off capacity building programme. The support goes beyond the organization of traditional training sessions to include: on-the-job mentoring, coaching and backstopping of personnel for delivery of key tasks. ”
“At a time when the Managers of the economics of various nations-states are reviewing their processes, approaches and modalities to cope with the uncertainties arising from the covid-19 Pandemic, the Technical Assistance Project is critical to supporting our efforts in instituting enduring economic policy frameworks required to build-back better for resilience. ”
“it is gladdening to note that the overall objective of the 11th European Development Fund Support to Public Outreach , which this project is a part of, is to strengthen operational structures, address capacity gaps, as well as provide tools for better outcomes in the implementation of key development initiatives piloted by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. ”
“Besides facilitating the review and preparation of strategic and sectorial plans, the project is expected to support the elaboration of identified opportunities to accelerate new investments for critical projects as well as evolve frameworks for the resolution of complex inter-agency problems inhabiting private investments in our economy.”
The minister further promised that the skills and lessons to be acquired in the Project’s Component for documentation of the EU infrastructure project in various communities across the country would be applied in articulating a comprehensive database of the total infrastructure stock in Nigeria.
He hinted that the project also consists of planned activities useful in harmonization and strengthening the nation’s budgetary resources for fiscal stability and inclusive growth at both national and sub- national levels.
The Minister also commended the implementing Partner, Messrs IBF International Consulting, SA and the Technical Assistance Team for steering the project from the inception phase to the implementation stage.
Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Cecile Tassin Pelzer disclosed that the EU was supporting the implementation of the EU-SINEP project with the sum of 1.125 million Euros.
The Director General National Bureau of Statistic, (NBS) Mr. Adeyemi Adeniran stated that due to NBS long standing relationship with the European Union the NBS was a beneficiary of the EU Support to Federal Government reform in Nigeria (SUFEGOR) project, which facilitated the completion of activities that were key to the development and progress of the statistical system in Nigeria.
He was optimistic that the EU-SINEP project would be fully achieved and realized within the lifespan of the project.
