A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has called on both the Federal and state governments to prioritise accountability in the implementation of policies affecting citizens.

This call was made during the inaugural Nigeria Accountability Summit held in Abuja, with the theme ‘Institutionalising Accountability for Effective Public Administration in Nigeria.’

Organised by prominent entities such as the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), BudgIT Foundation, Connected Development (CODE), Dataphyte, Agora Policy, Accountability Lab Nigeria, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Step Up Nigeria, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), and Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, the summit aimed to address concerns surrounding policy implementation.

At the event, Olusegun Elemo, the Executive Director at PLSI, emphasized the necessity of holding public administrators accountable for the successful execution of policies.

Elemo highlighted that following the election of the 7th consecutive civilian government in February 2023, both national and subnational governments have initiated policy implementations across various sectors, causing hardships for citizens.

“Therefore, it is important to make sure that policy actors are held accountable to ensure objectives of their policies are achieved to improve citizens’ welfare,” Elemo stressed

In its official communique, the summit called upon the government to empower oversight mechanisms by strengthening regulators and oversight bodies.

Additionally, it urged the enhancement of the legal framework through action plans to improve the justice system’s capacity, including court efficiency, legal procedures, and timely dispute resolution.

The CSOs further advocated for the government to embrace tech-enabled civic engagement and digitize government processes, emphasizing that this would enhance accessibility and transparency.

They also pressed for the creation of sound policies addressing specific challenges, focusing on transparent tax classifications and the removal of small, burdensome taxes. The summit suggested establishing a clear threshold for taxpayers to enhance fiscal transparency.

As citizens grapple with the impact of implemented policies, the call for accountability resonates as a crucial factor in ensuring the well-being and satisfaction of the Nigerian populace.

Source : Business Day

The post CSOs Task FG, States on Accountability in Policy Implementation appeared first on Policy Print.

ABUJA — The Federal Government has taken steps to expedite local vaccine manufacturing and halt its importation.

To achieve this,  government has reviewed and validated the draft national plan for vaccine research and development in the country.

The plan, which was developed in 2021, is the first of its kind in Africa and highlights roles of relevant stakeholders in the vaccine landscape.

This was the fallout of a meeting organised by the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, in Abuja, weekend.

Speaking at the review and validation meeting, the  Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed that the efforts of the Federal Government over the years to commence local vaccines production was already yielding the expected results.

Represented by Dr. David Atuwo, the minister noted that the review and validation meeting was timely because it provided critical stakeholders and policymakers the opportunity to address critical healthcare issues, as well as enhance entry of the pharmaceutical sector into the larger African market.

The review and validation of the draft roadmap, the minister stressed, would fast-track the achievement of the  vaccine policy objectives of the federal government.

“With this initiative, I am confident that the government prioritization as regards local vaccine production will begin to yield the desired result within the shortest possible time, and the reliance on importation of this important public health tool will be drastically reduced.

“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social  Welfare will continue to provide the necessary oversight and work with NIPRD, partners and stakeholders at the various levels to ensure that the desired results of sustainable vaccine R&D and local production in Nigeria are achieved,” he said.

‘Progress made’

Speaking on the government’s level of preparation to kick-start local vaccine manufacturing, the minister said: “Despite the various challenges militating against local production of vaccines, I want to state that appreciable progress has been achieved in these past few years.:

“Nigeria has recently attained Maturity Level Three (ML3) for regulatory oversight and this includes the area of vaccines.

“With this and other ongoing reforms in the health sector, vaccines produced as a result of this process will not only satisfy national needs, but will also be available for international procurement.

“Whilst the government is taking steps to provide the needed infrastructure requisite for the implementation of local vaccines’ production, it is commendable that NIPRD, in line with its mandate, continues to set the pace for responsive innovation in this area.

“This high-level meeting is intended to bring together relevant stakeholders in order to synthesize ideas and solutions for a robust and contextual base plan to achieve sustainable local manufacturing of vaccines in Nigeria.

“This approach will provide a strong foundation that is underpinned by empirical evidence. The adoption of this bottom-up strategy in developing this plan ensures that innovative ideas embedded in this framework are designed to stimulate local vaccines R&D and vaccines production in Nigeria.”

In his remarks, the Director General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe, explained that the meeting was the first step to unlocking the health value chain plan which would not only save lives but also address critical socio-economic indices, such as job creation, capacity building, revenue generation and technology transfer.

Dr Adigwe, however, stressed that Africa no more cherished what he described as tokenistic interventions such as fill-finish products.

“Africa no longer has an interest in tokenistic interventions such as fill-finish products, but has become interested in building dependable, equitable, and veracious partnerships that will enable the Continent to undertake full R&D for the production of vaccines,” he stressed.

Source : Vanguard

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Climate change poses severe and multiple threats to Nigeria’s current and future development and should be taken more seriously by the Nigerian government and other critical stakeholders, a new report by Agora Policy, an Abuja-based think tank, has said.   

• “It is evident that climate change is not a marginal or peripheral issue that the government and the people of Nigeria can take lightly,” says the report titled “Climate Change and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria,” which was released today in Abuja and was produced with the support of the MacArthur Foundation.  

The report acknowledges and details a plethora of climate-related initiatives, including policies, programmes and projects and even the 2021 climate change law put in place or undertaken by successive Nigerian governments but it claims that the potentials of these initiatives and interventions are undercut by the absence of commensurate action, lack of synergy and inadequate funding.  

According to the 84-page report, Nigeria, despite her relatively low emission profile, is already bearing the brunt of the effects of changes in climatic conditions and of adverse weather events but that the tolls could be significantly higher. 

Unless urgent and bold actions are taken, the report adds, Nigeria risks becoming one of the worst-affected countries by climate change, with grave implications for the country’s currently fragile economic, social and human development indicators.   

• “Climate change is compounding poverty challenges in Nigeria and impeding the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals,” adds the report. 
• “Climate change is already increasing hunger, poverty, disease-burden, migration, conflict and insecurity in Nigeria. It is damaging infrastructure, changing Nigeria’s coastlines, fueling desertification, producing water scarcity, facilitating erosion and resulting in the loss of revenue for states and the national government.” 

The report states that as at 2020 Nigeria losses at least $100 billion annually to the effects of climate change and the country may lose trillions of dollars in manufacturing, construction and oil and gas assets likely to become stranded as the world gravitates to a green economy.  

• “Nigeria risks becoming a stranded country,” the report asserts. “Climate change has the potential to further jeopardize Nigeria’s economic development and alter its geographical, social and political trajectory for decades.” 

The report highlights the different channels through which adverse effects of climate change could worsen in Nigeria and further compound the country’s developmental challenges.

Some of the highlighted areas include: projected 2.9- and 5.7-degree Celsius rise in temperature across different ecological zones in the country; increased occurrence of floods, droughts, erosion and rising sea levels; the likelihood that 75% of the delta could be lost; and further adverse effects on agricultural yields, food security, health burdens, water and energy sufficiency, peace and security, and adequacy and longevity of critical infrastructure.  

However, the report also identifies opportunities for Nigeria to address climate change while supporting economic growth and resilience.  

• “Climate change offers opportunities for economic competitiveness, energy security, and sustainable development,” states the report.
• “There are many climate-led opportunities that Nigeria can explore to enable rapid economic growth, create jobs for a rapidly growing youthful and urbanizing population, and address high levels of abject poverty and inequality through a just transition.” 

Urging Nigeria to consciously pursue a climate-compatible development agenda, the report recommended the following strategies to the country: investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency, promoting climate-smart agriculture, embracing green manufacturing, harnessing natural resources for adaptation, and enhancing disaster risk reduction systems. 

• “Leveraging climate action to pursue economic development in Nigeria is not only a viable but an essential strategy,” says the report.  
• “The global transition from a high-carbon economy to a low-carbon economy is already well underway and will produce winners and losers across the world.
• Whether Nigeria will swim or sink in the face of the transition will depend on its willingness to take urgent action now and re-align its national development strategies towards a low-carbon economic future.
• To transform climate change from a significant threat into an opportunity requires deliberate planning supported by immediate, bold and courageous action.” 

Other prescriptions made by the report for Nigeria include: strengthening national climate change framework; mainstreaming climate change into the country’s development process; building a climate-resilient and competitive economy; boosting adaptive capacities of communities in different ecological zones in the country; incentivizing investment in low-carbon industries; increasing public awareness about climate change; advocating for a fair and just energy transition; and pursuing a collaborative approach to low-carbon development.  

• “It is our hope that this report will further raise the policy profile of climate change issues in Nigeria and trigger the necessary actions on what is clearly an existential issue for our country,” says Waziri Adio, the founder of Agora Policy.
• “Climate change did not feature as a major issue in the 2023 general election, despite the significant challenges and opportunities it presents to the country.
• It has also not featured as a major priority of the new administration. This needs to change, and urgently too.”  

The release of the report will be followed by a policy conversation in Abuja on 22 November 2023, with the theme: “Nigeria, Climate Change and the Green Economy.”

The event will be organized with partners as part of the buildup to COP28 starting in UAE later this month.  

The report was put together by a team of four renowned experts: Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, director of the Centre for Climate and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State; Professor Emmanuel Oladipo, a leading specialist on sustainable development, environment and climate change; Ms. Ifeoma Malo, co-founder of Clean Technology Hub and a development and governance expert; and Dr. Fola Aina, a development, peace and security expert.   

Produced with the support of the MacArthur Foundation, the report is the fifth policy paper commissioned by Agora Policy to contribute to national debate before, during and after the landmark 2023 elections in Nigeria. The other four reports focused on the state of the economy, security, gender and social inclusion, and transparency and accountability. 

Source : Naira Metrics

The post Agora Policy: Climate Change Poses Grave Risks to Nigeria, Deserves Greater Attention appeared first on Policy Print.

Nigeria’s central bank said on Thursday that it had delayed an interest rate meeting that had been planned for next week and that it would schedule a new meeting later.

In a statement on its website, the Central Bank of Nigeria did not say why the Sept. 25-26 meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee was delayed and a new date would be set later.

The postponement comes days after President Bola Tinubu nominated a new central bank governor and four new deputy governors. The Senate is yet to hold confirmation hearings for Tinubu’s picks.

In July, the central bank opted for a small rate hike at the first monetary policy meeting since Tinubu suspended central bank governor Godwin Emefiele.

Emefiele oversaw a much-criticised system of multiple exchange rates used to keep the local naira currency artificially strong and lent directly to businesses to try to boost growth in Africa’s biggest economy.

Tinubu criticised the central bank’s policies under Emefiele at his inauguration in May, saying they needed “thorough house-cleaning”.

Source : Yahoo

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