Kemi Busari
Acting UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Pa Lamin Beyai, has called Nigeria’s legislators to be at the forefront of policy making and execution process for successful implementation of Agenda 2030.
He said this recently at the inaugural retreat and ceremony organized for the Committee on SDG’s of the House of Representatives.
Beyai noted that the legislators have an oversight role in ensuring that the country gets value for money and remains on the SDGs path as they remain are responsible for ensuring that policy formulation, planning and importantly, budget making processes respond to the SDGs.
“With the momentum being shown already by various sections of society, the government and yourselves, I am very hopeful, Nigeria will demonstrate her leadership and be among the many African countries to meet the SDG targets by 2030.
“However, for this to happen, you the Honourable Members of this House have a very important role to play. As we enter this new development era, it will be your role to oversee and scrutinize whether the country is on course to reaching the targets and to raise issues of concern relating to SDGs on behalf of your constituents. While Civil Society
Organisations will be on the ground engaging on SDG, we will also depend on the structures in your constituencies to localise and own the SDGs.”
The UN representative also charge the legislators to take the members of the public first in their activities as the UN is committed towards its implementation.
“The people out there will be expecting you to ask the hard questions on how resources allocated for development are being spent by the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies. As their representatives, they will count on you for defending programmes that will result in a better Nigeria by 2030.
“OSSAP-MDGs with our support and other development partners have developed a roadmap for the country to follow as it transitions from MDGs to SDGs. This strategy identifies the institutional, legal and policy frameworks necessary for the realisation of SDGs. It also makes reference to the partnerships needed along the way. As the UN System in
Nigeria, we reaffirm our commitment to continuing with our support during this new development era.”
