Prioritise Youth Empowerment, Investment In FinTech, SGF Urges Govs

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has called on governors sto harness the potential of Nigeria’s youth, urging investment in sectors such as FinTech to empower them as wealth creators.

This is even as he highlighted the importance of collaborative governance and shared his administration’s governing experience.

He stated this on Tuesday at the roundtable discussion at the 2023 induction for Re-elected and elected governors with the theme: Governing for Impact (Building Sub-national Governance), organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) at the presidential Villa.

Mustapha called upon the new governors to rise above the challenges ahead, prioritize youth empowerment, and foster collaborative governance to drive Nigeria’s development and prosperity

He commended the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for its role in managing critical issues between states and the federal government, acknowledging their valuable contributions.

The SGF revealed that he had invited the NGF Secretary to serve as a member of the Transition Technical Task Team, aimed at supporting the transition process at the federal level.

He praised the objectives of the gathering, which focused on preparing governors to tackle governance challenges and deliver on the priorities outlined in their campaign manifestos.

Mustapha acknowledged the developmental challenges facing Nigeria, including poverty, healthcare, education, limited infrastructure, and economic recovery.

He emphasised that no single administration could address all these challenges alone, emphasising the need for collaboration between the federal and state governments.

Sharing his administration’s approach, Mustapha discussed the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) as interventions to combat corruption, enhance security, and rebuild the economy.

He also highlighted the importance of performance management and the establishment of the Central Delivery and Coordination Unit (CDCU) to track and support the implementation of ministerial deliverables.

The SGF showcased the achievements in key sectors since 2019. In the health sector, the number of Nigerians covered by health insurance increased from 3,109,114 to 16,797,451.

“The enrollment of poor and indigent Nigerians under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) rose from zero to 1,121,017.

“In education, the government facilitated the construction of model smart schools, literacy centers, and the provision of daily meals to primary 1-3 children, resulting in improved completion rates at both the junior and senior secondary school levels.

“The digital economy sector also witnessed significant growth, with broadband coverage reaching 100% and 4G penetrations increasing to 80.86 per cent” he said .

He emphasised the importance of peace and security, as well as the close ties between security, economic development, investment, and growth.