Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, said the ministry had concluded arrangements to set up a specialised implementation Unit for the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017-2020.
Udoma said this at the Signing of the United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework 2018-2022 on Thursday in Abuja.
He said he was happy that UNSDPF aligned and took cognisance of the main objectives of the ERGP.
The ERGP projects that Nigeria will make significant progress to achieve structural economic change with a more diversified and inclusive economy in five key areas by 2020.
The key areas are: stable macro-economic environment, achieve agriculture and food security, ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products and drive industrialisation focusing on Small Medium Enterprises as well as improve transportation infrastructure.
According to him, the three pillars of UNSDPF are linked with the ERGP.
The three pillars are governance, human rights, peace and security; equitable quality basic education and, sustainable and inclusive economic and growth and development.
Udoma said: “We have outlined a framework for plan implementation, as well as launched a road map for its accomplishment.
“We have also concluded plans to establish a specialised implementation unit for ERGP in the ministry.
“The unit will work with the Delivery Unit in the Presidency, and all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that the ERGP is well implemented.”
Udoma, however, said that UNSDPF would be expected to provide support for the implementation of the ERGP.
He said the UNSDPF would also be expected to provide support to addressing other challenges facing Nigeria such as insecurity arising from Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, and other humanitarian challenges.
The minister thanked the UN system for the collective resolve to support Nigeria, adding that signing of the UNSDPF would contribute to further deepening the partnership between the Federal Government and UN System.
In his remarks, the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said the UNSDPF had aligned with the ERGP, Vision 2020, the Sustainable Development Goals, Africa Union Agenda 3063 and other agreed declarations.
Kallon said the document was produced based on joint country analysis, extensive geo-political consultations, adding that it reflected Nigeria’s changing economic, social and environmental conditions.
The resident coordinator said that three strategic priority results had been selected together with nine specific baseline targets and indicators.
He said it was designed as strategic frameworks to assist address Nigeria’s developmental and humanitarian challenges, leveraging on UN leadership comparative advantages and capacity assessment.
Kwasi Amankwaah, the Head, Resident Coordinator Office and UN Strategic Planner, who gave a presentation on the UNSDPF, said the implementation was estimated to cost $4.2 billion.
Amankwaah said the funds were required to implement nine outcomes outlined in the document.
He said UNSDPF had set out broad areas of UN assistance to the development aspirations of the people and government of Nigeria as enshrined in the ERGP and Vision 2020.
The highlight of the ceremony was the signing of the UNSDPF, a five year Sustainable Development Partnership Framework, 2018-2022, a successor framework to the present UN Development Assistance Framework III 2014-2017.
Udoma signed the document on behalf of the Nigerian Government, while the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Kallon signed alongside other UN System Directors.