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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
To boost electric mobility, renewable energy and to boost institutional capacity across the North East region, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) has moved to achieve the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
NEDC Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali, said the ISO would guide the commission to make informed decisions that align with international management standards on decision making on developmental programmes delivery.
Alkali, who spoke yesterday at the opening of a three-day ISO Executive Retreat for NEDC senior management, in Abuja, said the certification was an important milestone (for the Commission ), but it was not the destination because the real test rests on standards which are reflected in how decisions are made.
He noted that interventions like roads, schools, health facilities, water, livelihoods, mobility and energy depend on investment and systems through proper planning, monitoring and management.
According to him, exercise retreat was in line with the North-East Master Plan on planning, accountability, risk management, coordination and performance monitoring.
“The Master Plan tells us what we must deliver for the North-East. Our leadership, our systems and our collective discipline will determine how successfully we deliver it,” Alkali said.
The Chief Executive Officer stressed that NEDC is to meet 5 cardinal requirements like quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety, anti-bribery management, and sustainable development in communities.
He maintained that the training was part of the NEDC Excellence Forum held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, which was on staff Levels 6 to 13 apply the standards in their daily work.
According to him, the Abuja training places onus on senior management to get full dose of training on governance, risk, accountability and sustainable programme delivery.
On her part, NEDC Acting Head, Governance and Compliance Service Reforms, Fatima Dalhatu tasked the participants to take the training seriously.
According to her, the NEDC’s master plan provides direction, adding that the Integrated Management System (IMS) requires discipline to achieve those goals.
“ISO is not only the responsibility of GCS, it is all our responsibility
“GCS can coordinate, but senior management has to own the system. Without ownership, we’ll just have certificates on the wall,” she said.
