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Sen. Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara, on Wednesday urged state governors to replicate successful development plans adopted by other states to ensure growth at the state level.
Saraki also said strengthening the institutions at the state level would create the conducive environment for such growth.
The former governor stated this in Abuja at a training programme organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) for its newly engaged State Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM) consultants.
The training was organised by the forum in collaboration with the State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Capability (SPARC).
``We should be able to get the right policies in place in all the states to look at the best practices.
``As we said many a times we should be able to have a uniform approach to development; let’s see what is the best education policy. What is Adamawa doing very well in agriculture or Kwara doing very well in agriculture.
``Why can’t that also happen in other states let’s see what are those best practices so that it will help development as opposed to trial and error mechanisms.
`` I believe that the issue of having the expertise, having the capacity will help in improving the type of governance we have in the states and the local government councils.
``And as you know, unless we get it right in the state and local governments, the fight against poverty, the improvement of education, the improvement of health services will be difficult to achieve. ”
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He said the consultants being trained would go round the states of the federation as advisors and resource persons to elected governors and council chairmen.
Saraki said the use of consultants would improve the quality of governance and development in states.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the governors forum, Mr Asishana Okauru, said the forum`s objective was to review the 36 states of the federation in the next three years.
He explained that the training was to acquaint the consultants with the workings of the peer review committee in the course of the states review.
He said that the peer review programme would ensure periodic review of progress in the implementation of states’ development policies and programmes.
Okauru expressed optimism that governors` participation in the process would enable them to share successful development approaches.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Governors Forum recently unveiled the peer review mechanism with a view to enhancing good governance and ensuring socio-economic development in states.
NAN recalls that SPRM was inaugurated on May 8, 2011 as part of the 2011 induction programme which the forum organised for new and retuning governors and an integral part of its strategic plan.
At least 3,000 persons applied to be engaged as consultants of the forum out of which 107 were recruited. (NAN)
