N-POD 2020: We support FG’s Resolve to Actualize the Next Level Agenda - Osaro-Osaghae, President, Africa Business Forum, UK

N-POD 2020: We support FG’s Resolve to Actualize the Next Level Agenda - Osaro-Osaghae, President, Africa Business Forum, UK

By Admin

In the aftermath of the success of the N-POD 2020 Summit, the African Business Forum, UK says it has resolved to support the efforts and resolutions of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led-federal government to actualize the contents of the Next Level Agenda.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, the President of Africa Business Forum, UK; Mr. Frederick Osaro-Osaghae, said “The Buhari Administration is striving to prioritize and balance between the welfare of Nigerians and infrastructural needs of the country through a pragmatism that enables government to simultaneously concentrate on social investment and infrastructural provision.

He stated that “It is evident that the government is interested in solutions that will help propel Nigeria to the next level it envisaged. 

Osaghae added that “We as Nigerians, the governed and especially those of in the Diaspora, should support such efforts by equally deliberating on these issues raised at the summit, and contribute by proffering solutions that would enable government to overcome these challenges. 

In glowing colours he commended and applauded the contributions of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Policy Development and Analysis, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Hon Ibrahim Bapetel, and his team towards annually organizing the high-powered policy implementation and organizing capacity building retreats for Ministers in his cabinet; saying so far their efforts have rejigged the process of governance in no small measure.

Continuing, Osaghae said “I see the summit as a need for the successes of Buhari administration to be reviewed. Recall when he assumed office with a promise of ‘change’ amidst plethora of challenges that posed existential threat to Nigerians and Nigeria. There was no easy way out of the inherited challenges, the government was confronted with several choices; but it chose to do the right things to reposition the country and deliver services to the country rather than doing the wrong and deepening the suffering of Nigerians.

On the possible ways the Diaspora can key into the developmental plans of the Buhari government especially on ICT, Osaghae, who is currently collaborating with several Ukrainian educational organizations and

The Trade House Nigeria-Ukraine  “NewSvit”, said "The adoption and use of ICT in schools in most parts of the world and its positive impacts on teaching, learning and research does not need any further amplifying. But despite the roles it  plays in education, schools in Nigeria are yet to extensively adopt them for teaching and learning    purpose.                                                                         

However, we are at an advanced stage of our cooperation with Ukrainian institutions to proffer solutions to this setback in our schools as a way of lending  support to the Buhari administration on the creation of about 20 million jobs through ICT."

The 2020 N-POD Summit themed “Actualizing The Next Level Agenda” was hosted and organized by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President On Policy Development and Analysis, in Abuja on March 5th at the African Hall, International Conference Center, Garki Abuja. 

It witnessed the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, the participation and attendance of key stakeholders and institutions in identifying failure factors that may likely impede theactualization of the Next Level Agenda and tackle them appropriately to ensure fruition and efficient impacts; as well as recorded critical deliberations and discourses on the strategies, prospects, and challenges 

encountered in achieving success in the afore-envisioned Next Level Agenda. 

At the summit, President Buhari, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the Government the Federation, Mr. Andrew David maintained that government remains interested in solutions that will help propel Nigerians to the next level under the ‘Next Level Agenda.’

In the opening remarks, Hon. Bapetel, assured that being the second Summit in the series, it will continue to play a strategic role in national development, particularly for the Next Level Agenda to succeed. 

Other distinguished Speakers were the Hon. Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir S. Magashi, the Hon. Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Alh. Abdullahi Jami amongst several other notable and professional authorities.

Aside Osaghae who emphasized on the stand of the Diasporan community were the duo of the former Ambassador of Ukraine to Nigeria, H.E. Mykola Samosvatov (Rtd.) who was at the event to support N-POD in the development of oil/gas, agriculture and education; and also Dr. Oluseni Ogunsun, a strategist in oil/gas, modern farming concepts and digital agricultural blueprints. 

In 2019, the maiden edition of NPOD Summit reviewed the change agenda and highlighted the successes recorded, challenges and lessons learnt in the first four years of the Buhari administration.