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Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has stressed that sustainable development can only be achieved through strong institutions backed by effective leadership, adherence to rules and a commitment to core values.
Ganduje made the remarks on Saturday in Abuja at the investiture of Rotarian Sikiru Owonikoko as the District Governor of Rotary International District 9127.
The colourful ceremony attracted a distinguished audience, including government officials, captains of industry, Rotarians from across Nigeria, and family members and friends from within and outside the country.
Speaking after being honoured with a Rotary award, Ganduje said her presentation underscored the true meaning of impact, which he described as sustainable implementation rather than mere policy formulation.
“The keynote by Dr. Aishatu Kabir delved into explaining the concept of impact, and that impact is sustainable impact. As administrators, we translate impact into implementation,” he said.
According to him, successful implementation remains one of the biggest governance challenges in many developing countries because of weak institutions.
“Successful implementation is only possible when you have strong institutions. That is a problem I have been discussing today and in developing countries as well. We have good policies, but the implementation is faulty,” he said.
The former Kano State governor described Rotary as an example of a strong institution built on enduring leadership and clearly defined principles.
“So, Rotary is a very strong institution. It is a strong institution because it has strong leadership. But strong leadership alone is not enough for sustainable development.
“For a sustainable institution, it needs strong leadership. You need an institution to have rules and regulations, to abide by those rules and regulations, and also to adhere to the core values of the institution,” he added.
Ganduje noted that Rotary’s humanitarian philosophy has enabled it to remain relevant and impactful over the years.
“The core value of Rotary is humanitarian service,” he said.
