Uduaghan Calls For Independent Assessment Of Leaders
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, April 27, (THEWILL) â€' Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has challenged leaders not to be afraid of allowing independent assessors to take critical look at their activities while in office.
Dr. Uduaghan, who stated this in Asaba at a preparatory workshop for the United Nations assessment of key sectors of the Delta State economy, said that such assessments will enable leaders to know their achievements, challenges and areas they can improve on.
According to him, 'we have taken a bold and courageous step to invite the United Nations to come and assess us on how far we have gone in our policies and programmes in bringing development to the people.
'There is the need to assess how far we have gone because this assessment will help us in moving forward in developmental indices,' Governor Uduaghan disclosed, adding: 'It will also show us how to achieve desired goals, especially the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).'
He described the MDGs as 'very key' to the administration's policies and programmes noting that when achieved, the standard of living of the people would improve drastically.
The Governor used the occasion to state that his greatest legacy was not in the construction of an international airport and infrastructural development but in policies and programmes that impact directly on the people's life such as the provision of free maternal and child care, free education and empowering the very poor in the society.
He added, 'Bringing experts to assess what we have done since 2007 in critical areas of education, water and sanitation, health and agriculture will enable us see our achievements, challenges and prepare us for the post-MDGs years.'
Earlier in a goodwill message, the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Daouda Toure who was represented by Ambassador Louise Sethswaelo who is the head of Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Nigeria said, 'monitoring performance and progress of development, is one powerful tool, which leads to positive transformation and provision of evidence based planning in a state or nation'.
Furthermore, the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria said: 'The UN System commends Your Excellency for signing up Delta State for this objective basis performance assessment of key sectors of agriculture, water and sanitation, education and health, as well as the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).'
'This assessment is an indication of the state's commitment to the broad ideals of good and accountable governance, democracy, peace and security, among others,' Mr. Toure said, adding, 'we are happy to assess the development performance of the state, we believe the outcome will form the basis for planning and moving forward.'
In a welcome address, the Senior Adviser to the Governor on Foreign Relations, Mr. Oma Djebah said, 'this workshop is to measure the achievements in the key sectors of the state economy and know the areas to improve on for the transformation of the state.' BEVERLY HILLS, CA, April 27, (THEWILL) â€'