Follow Us on Google
By Henry Uche
Experts drawn from different sectors have averred that for Nigeria to actually meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 as targeted, everyone must roll up everyone’s sleeves hesitantly.
The experts made this known at a webinar session tagged, “The Conversation: Achieving The SDGs on Nigeria: The Role of National, Sub-National, Private and Community leaders.” held yesterday.
According to them, leaders at the national level, State level, captains of Industries in the private sector and Community/ grassroots leaders must be at the vanguard to ensure Nigeria do not lag while other countries are meeting the deadline of achieving the SDGs.
Speaking, the President/Chairman of Council, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) Taiwo ’Gbenga Owokalade, said “The Conversation” which debuted last year would continue in its advocacy program centered around Governance and contemporary national issues to enlighten, educate and share knowledge with our stakeholders and members of the public.
According to him, the realities in the country have formed the existential fabric against which Nigeria must strategise for actualization of the SDGs. He said, “Let’s direct all energies in synergy in line with the new agenda of ‘Leaving no one behind’ as espoused by the SDG promoters which emphasizes a holistic approach to achieving sustainable development for all.
Owokalade maintained that Nigeria must as a matter of fact harness economic, political and administrative resources to direct the nation’s affairs in such a way as to ensure creation of enabling environment, mechanisms, processes and institutions necessary for the attainment of the global goals.
In a keynote address, a former Sierra Leonean Parliamentarian, Kandeh Yumkella, stressed that the three arms of government must make concerted effort to meet up with the imminent challenges posed by demographic, urbanization, climate change among others, saying that the world is in need of consistent and trusted leaders who can drive the desired change.
Yumkella who was also former Minster of Trade and Industry & Director-General, United Nations Industrial Development Oragnisation also affirmed that leaders must be aware of the SDGs so they could align plans, programs and decisions to achieve the set goals.
He added that good governance, climate change, clean energy, environmental justice and sustainability were key to him, hence the need to pursue them vigorously as many other goals depend on energy, good governance, environmental justice and sustainability and how well we managed climate change.
“We have eight years to meet these global goals, what we need is a participatory approach. Notably, SDG 1 through 6 cannot be achieved without access to affordable and reliable energy, because nothing can run without energy” he asseverated.
