Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has called on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to design a short executive programme for State Governors and top politicians that would prepare them for the task of governance.
Dr. Uduaghan, who made the call when participants of Course 34 of the Institute paid him a courtesy call in Asaba, yesterday, said the Institute was endowed with research department and could therefore design a programme that would suit the political class.
He said the Institute should incorporate the affected politicians in an interactive seminar especially as most students of the Institute were top government functionaries who are versed in different aspects of governance.
The Governor explained that since the institute has several programme there was need to accommodate the political class in some of them.
“I want to request that the Institute should organize a short programme for the political class in the country. NIPSS has something for everybody in the society and l think it should organize an interactive programme for top politicians, ”he said.
Dr. Uduaghan described this year’s interactive tour for the Course 34 students titled “Resource Diversification for Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria” as apt, explaining that it was the only way to boost the economy and be less dependent on oil and gas.
He said it was critical for the nation and federating states to move beyond oil and explore their strength in their areas because oil would not last forever.
The Governor recalled the recently concluded Second South-South Economic Summit which also centered on diversification of the economy of the region and disclosed that Delta State already has a programme on diversification titled “Delta Beyond Oil.”
Dr. Uduaghan who said the State’s programme on diversification was broad explained that the policy was on agriculture, leisure, medical as well as other mineral resources adding that his administration has already provided infrastructure such as power, good motorable roads, sea and airports to encourage and attract investors.
He disclosed that the Federal Government and Delta State Government are to partner to develop the cargo wing of the Asaba International Airport as part of efforts to ease cargo movement especially in the eastern part of the country and enhance empowerment of the people.
“Fortunately, the Federal Government is interested in the cargo section of the Asaba International Airport. So we are partnering with the Federal Government to develop the cargo wing of the airport”, he said.
Furthermore, he said “We are also empowering the youths through agriculture and micro-credit scheme because once the youths are engaged they would not be attracted to crime.”
The Director General of NIPSS, Prof. Tijani Bande in his remarks, said his team was in Delta to interact extensively with top government functionaries on the Institute’s theme for the year titled “Resource Diversification for Sustainable Economic Development.”
He explained that diversification was now central to the economic development of the nation and enjoined states to key into it.
The DG commended the South-South zone of the country on its effort towards diversification and said such drive would open the door for sustainable economic development in the region.
He commended Governor Uduaghan for the efforts being made to industrialize the State and urged the Governor not to relent in the bid to transform the lives of the people.
