By ABUBAKAR YUSUF

The 78^th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) annual convention has been slated to hold this September. Nigerian is known to be playing leading roles in many areas of UNGA, particularly the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is, therefore, germane to have a substantive Senior Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the programme, in view of the leading roles Nigeria had played towards driving the decade of action: the 2020-2030 Agenda.

Obviously, under the leadership of the previous handler, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who pioneered the SDGs programmes, for seven years, consecutively, programmes and policies of the global body domesticated in Nigeria had been seamless, both at the Federal, State and Local Government levels also known as sub-national level, to the conviction of the Civil Society Organisations, Private Advisory Group and to the admiration of the federal lawmakers who domiciled their constituency projects that were relatively in line with the 17 goals of action.

The launching of the Nigeria’s activities of the SDGs both at home and the 77^th UNGA, to the excitement of member-nations, initiated by the SDGs leadership in Nigeria geared towards guaranteeing continuous sponsorship of the programme beyond 2030 , the INFF powered by the giant of Africa and leading domesticator country for the programme, opened a new chapter in the activities of the programme across the globe.

Under the leadership of Princess Orelope-Adefulire, the numerous initiatives, including the maiden launching in Africa as the first to realign the National Statistic System (NSS), in collaboration with National Bureau of Statistics to enable SDGs leverage on priority programs and a template towards guaranteeing other government Departments, Agencies and Ministries to take a cue from the newly novel programme.

Going beyond the confines of the SDGs decade of action, SDGs collaborated with AUDA-NEPAD to move the country’s development towards 2063, having achieved similar goals and feats.

The pioneer leadership launched a special programme on Education and Health, Goal 3 and 4, after the attainment of higher feat in the two critical areas that border on provision of social services across National and Sub-National levels.

This was away from Conditional Grant Scheme running into billions to some states in the six geopolitical zones across the country, to address Sanitation, Water, Education, Health and other social services across the states.

The launching of SDGs model earlier in the programme had facilitated its activities in all ramifications covering its 17 goals.

The SDGs under Princess Orelope-Adefulire had prioritized post-COVID-19 activities in line with the UN SDGs and fully domesticated in Nigeria, as it embarked on post COVID-19 rehabilitation programme across the 109 Senatorial districts and 360 House of Representatives federal constituencies that encouraged federal lawmakers to provide post- COVID-19 programmes to mitigate the debilitating effects of the COVID and consequent lockdowns, as well as other side effects.

The holistic reforms and supports to the healthcare facilities and institutions in Nigeria after COVID was unique in all ramifications, as at the twilight of the last administration, SDGs was still busy commissioning hospitals both at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels to provide health care and discourage medical tourism.

SDGs’ Orelope-Adefulire had provided thousands of school buildings across the country that gave credence to the supports SDGs programmes in the country had advanced to the health institutions.

In the last seven years, the programme had provided model skills acquisition programmes, capacity building, skill development and empowerments across the country, to make Nigeria to become the pride of the international communities.

With this laudable achievements and encouragements carried out through its full domestication, no doubt the 2023 UNGA would desire Princess Orelope-Adefulire, so as to consolidate the success already achieved, if Nigeria must realize the decade of action to the fullest.

Her exposure to international politics, added to her well as wealth of experience, give Princess Orelope-Adefulire an edge to be more advantageous to the country as the international communities and the UN SDGs preferred experience hands in such endeavours.

The successes recorded by the domestication and achievements of decade of action template would be eroded if experienced and exposed hands are not featured in the forthcoming 78^th UNGA holding this month, hence the need to reappoint Princess Orelope-Adefulire, purely on merit.

Nigeria is expecting more support and developments powered by the international community at this period of protracted economic recession, to bridge the gap of its social services, economic and political security to member nations.

•Yusuf, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Abuja and could be reached on: yus.abubakar3@gmail.com

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