The Kwara Government on Monday began a week-long training for dozens of its planning officers across various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the implementation of its 10-year Development Plan (SDP 2021-2030).

The capacity building workshop was organised by the state Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, attended by 120 planning officers, directors of personnel, finance and supply in key MDAs.

This is contained in a statement issued in Ilorin on Monday by the Press Secretary, Kwara Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Mr Abubakar Daibu.

Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had in December 2021 launched the long-term development plan that covers a period of 10 years to place Kwara on the path of sustainable growth and economic prosperity.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Planning, Alhaji Yaqub Jaja, said the programme sought to put the officers on their toes towards achieving the set targets.

He said the government took that step in line with the instructions of the National Council on Development Plan (NCDP) and the Joint Planning Board, which encouraged all states to formulate a plan that would serve as a roadmap for development indicators.

“The previous administrations in the state made attempts to articulate a Development Plan but were not successful.

But with the sincere efforts and determination of this government it became a reality.

This is indeed a novel achievement.

“This achievement has placed Kwara as one of the few states to launch the Long Term Development Plan, which serves as a roadmap and compass for development indicators.

“The current global economic volatility demands a long term development plan that spells out resource-gap, resource endowment, goals and objectives, aspirations, targets of the society, strategies of implementations to achieve set targets as well as programmes and projects.

“The unveiling of the Long Term Development Plan for Kwara State in December 2021 is therefore a good legacy for this administration to bequeath to the good people of the state for the period of 2021-2030,” Jaja said.

The permanent secretary thanked the governor for approving funds to equip the officers with necessary expertise and for other enablers being put in place by the state government.

He also appreciated the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, for collaborating with Kwara to train the officers, asking the participants to be attentive and make judicious use of whatever they acquired.

The training was attended by dignitaries from within and outside the state, including a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mr Kenneth Kwujeli; and the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Finance, Alhaji AbdulRasaq Folohunsho, among others principal officers of the host ministry.

Folohunsho described effective planning as a panacea to the development of any society, assuring of his organisation’s continued support to enable the state achieve the objectives.

Kenneth, in his lecture, defined sustainable development as an arrangement to meet the needs of the present generation without denying the future generation the chances of meeting their needs.

Kenneth, who spoke on a theme “Developing a Medium Term Plan: Structure of Chapters and Guidelines for Development”, said it was imperative for planning officers to be fully involved in the implementation of such a sustainable development plan.

NAN