Policy formulation, implementation not reflecting population needs – VP Osinbajo.

ABUJA (Office of the Vice President Report)
Nigeria's Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo (Prof) has said that some of the past polices and planning, including government budgeting did not reflect the needs and conditions of the majority of the Nigerian people.

While speaking at a courtesy visit by members of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday 20th of August 2015, the Vice President said that the important thing is how policies can address the needs of the people; describing this as the main challenge.

According to him, past planning, policy formulation and budgets were not accountable to the people. He stressed that policies don't seem to have solutions that truly reflect the understanding of the problem of poverty. The Vice President expressed concern for the extreme poverty existing in some parts of the country; indicating from records that the country has 110 million poor people representing two thirds of the population.

"When you look at the economic and social policies and the level of illiteracy in parts of the country, some are extremely bad with cases of about 80% or 90% of children out of school. There are other cases of unimaginable decayed infrastructure," he complained.

"One of the challenges of policy formulation is how to speak to the people and how to address their plight. The people are concerned about how to get a meal, how to get healthcare and how to send their children to school. When you look at the budgets, it does not often address the needs of the people."
The Vice President challenged members of the Alumni Association to discuss how policy formulation ought to wrap up the conditions of the people, demanding the institute to think about this. He further welcomed the idea of the proposed policy roundtable by members of the Alumni Association. He noted that what has been lacking in government is a time to think, reflect and consider policy while still working.

He also explained that the policy roundtable is intended to provide an interface between policy makers and government on how to address the needs and improve the living conditions of the citizens through policy formulation.

Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the Alumni Association, Lawrence Onoja (Major-General) expressed appreciation for President Muhammadu Buhari's determination to fight corruption and reposition the economy. He pledged the support of the association for the actualization of what he called the 'Three Point Agenda' of the Buhari Administration: Security, Corruption and the Economy.

Lawrence Onoja urged the Government to not only make a forensic audit of the government agencies, but jail all those found guilty of looting the country
Source: http://fmi.gov.ng/latest/55070/