FG committed to inclusive devt – Minister

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed, has said the federal government has developed medium-term and the long-term national development plan known as ‘Nigeria Agenda 50’ for the next generation.

She said FG is prioritising sustainable and inclusive development with specific interventions aimed at ensuring peace and security across the Nigeria, particularly the North-east region.

According to a statement by Special Adviser, Media and Communications to the Minister Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi on Friday, the minister stated this at Project Board Meeting for Regional Stabilisation Facility-Nigeria (RSF) Window Virtual.

She said: “We remain firmly committed to the stabilization work in the North East, and to working closely with all stakeholders to restore peace and prosperity to the affected States.”

She stated that the government’s experience with the RSF demonstrates the importance of employing a government-led multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach to stabilising the Lake Chad region, adding that this underscored the implementation of the RSF Joint Action Plan (JAP) in 2020 despite the challenges raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the federal government has contributed US$1.1 million to the regional stabilisation in keeping with their longstanding commitment to ensuring stability and sustainable resilience in the North-east.

“We recognise the pivotal role of the RSF in achieving this goal, and are committed to continued implementation, and to exploring expansion of the RSF to provide coverage to additional communities. As demonstrated in a recently completed United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Report, the conflict in the North-East of Nigeria has altered the development trajectory of the region, and we all need to deepen and scale efforts in the region if we are to ensure stability and resilience,” she said.