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Support policy makers for national development, Osinbajo tasks think tanks

Published

5 years ago

October 21, 2019

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday called on Nigerian think tanks to support policy makers, and champion the right course toward providing workable solutions for national development.

Osinbajo gave the advice at a round-table on Strategic Think Tanks in Nigeria in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme, organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), is entitled: “Re-positioning Think Tanks for Effective Engagement in Public Policy.”

It was aimed at having a robust recommendation toward a better society.

Osinbajo, who was represented on the occasion by Mr Akin Soetan, Special Technical Adviser to the Vice-President on Economic Matters, said that the position of think tanks was relevant to the development of any nation.

According to him, think tanks must enhance their relevance and provide workable solutions, by collaborating with policy makers.

“ The key issue is that the think tanks should be able to analyse and engage the policy makers and policy analysts, on the key areas of governance.

“ They should do this in their different specialisations; we can get what they need to do, to advance the country.

“ We need them to engage more than just the traditional government partners; but to also engage the public to monitor and evaluate, as long as their research findings are highly beneficial,’’ he said.

The vice-president, therefore, charged policy makers to adopt relevant decisions by the think tanks, and mainstream them into their activities, for the progress of the country.

Also, Prof. Habu Galadima, Director-General, NIPSS, in an address, said that the institute had over time, served as capacity extension of government, by opening up new perspectives of framing and analysing issues.

Galadima noted that the institute had contributed immensely to the development of the country, particularly by providing evidence-based research, to support policy and the development of the country.

He said it had also provided leadership to other think tanks, while also adopting the best brains in the country to discuss and exchange ideas on how to provide quality input into the decision-making process.

“The environment we live today is becoming more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, that challenges the imagination of think tanks all over the world.

“Think tank poses the ability to broker ideas, stimulate public debate and offer creative, yet practical solutions to tackle myriad problems.

“ They have the challenge of constantly mobilising their expertise and networks, to continuously get ideas into government agenda.

“Think tanks have evolved beyond mere research institutions into opinion creators, and constantly casting light on policy issues, analysing and measuring their impact and getting into policy,’’ he said.

Galadima, therefore, called for the re-positioning of the think tanks, to support government at all levels in decision-making process.

“The whole idea is to re-position all the think tanks, especially think tanks at the strategic level, to support government policy to help engage in policy making processes.

“And also to write evidence-based research, to support government in this period where we are experiencing changes in virtually every part of our lives.

“It has, therefore, become necessary for all strategic think tanks to re-position themselves, to provide innovative ways of dealing with many of the challenges we face currently,’’ he said.

Similarly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, emphasised the need for think tanks to critically assess their roles in policy making.

Mustapha, who was represented at the event by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary, General Services, called on the think tanks to re-position themselves to chart a new course for the development of the country.

“In most developed countries, think tanks work closely with government to provide ideas; but in some developing countries, government remain sceptical, which affects economic policies that are created.

“Nigeria has realised the important role of the think tanks, but the issue remains the extent to which think tanks are utilised; because their roles are not optimally utilised.

Mustapha pledged the readiness of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to support the policy development process through the recommendations from the conference.

Dr Samsudeen Usman, Former Minister of Budget and National Planning, called on the government to appreciate, recognise and reward the think tanks faculty in the country.

NAN reports that the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) were created by law, to perform the role of think tanks.

Others are the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and NIPSS. (NAN)

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Nigeria Will Take Good Shape In No Distant Time- Olawande

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2024

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande has urged the citizens of the country to be patient with the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in transforming the lives of its citizens through various policies and programs of the federal government.

The Minister made this submission while delivering his speech at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch. This is the first edition since both Ministries of Youth and Sports had been damaged. The JUNC week which was held at Atiku Hall, Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation in Abuja had its theme: “The working people in a volatile, uncertain, and complex economy”

In the words of the Honourable Minister: “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of its citizens will be transformed”.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper, he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth, and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria. He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury”, Olawande explained.

He emphasized that “leadership is all about being committed to serve. If you are a Minister now, tomorrow you will be addressed as a former Minister, likewise a Director because there is no permanent position but the impact that you made while in that office will speak after you”, the Minister reiterated.

Olawande expressed his gratitude to the workers of the Ministry for being supportive of the government policies and programs. He promised that the welfare of the staff would not be compromised, adding that workers deserve remuneration for being hardworking.

Earlier in his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya admonished the staff of the Ministry to put in their best as “Performance Management System” which replaces APER is the criteria to be used for promotion effective next year. This, according to him is because the Performance Management System (PMS) records the best efforts and input of each staff which will in turn be used to grade such staff.

Olusanya who disclosed that the welfare of the staff is his priority as workers deserve the best for the services rendered. He opined that “the hungry man is angry and as a worker, if you are not treated fairly and properly, it is impossible to get the best out of you. As a result, all staff will be treated properly as motivation to propel the best in you”, he concluded.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, OON, MNI, in her address, informed that the activity to reinvigorate the Civil Service in a bid to ensure that Civil Servants carry out their duties with much diligence to have efficient and incorruptible civil service is currently on course. She advised workers to wake up and be committed to the service of the nation.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Jerry Akume, the General Secretary of the Union expressed his delight in celebrating this year’s edition of the Union week, while highlighting the achievements of the union so far. These include:

Upward review of staff welfare, prompt payment of repatriation allowances, payment of first 28 days allowance, assistance to the sick, general training of staff, and sending forth/retirement package for retired staff.

He also appealed to the Management of the Ministry, saying that irrespective of the aforementioned achievements, a lot still needs to be done in such areas as procurement of staff buses, upward review of welfare payment for festive periods, consistent general staff training, and procurement of office and work materials.

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