Nasarawa Seeks Legal Backing For Human Capital Devt Programme

The Nasarawa State government has initiated moves to domesticate the Nigerian Human Capital Development programme (HCD) through the necessary legal framework.

Speaking during the North Central Human Capital Development Regional Conference in Lafia at the weekend, Governor Abdullahi Sule said his administration would ensure that the policy which is aimed at increasing human capital investments as a vehicle for poverty reduction and increased life expectancy is sustained.

The federal government in 2018 launched the Nigerian Human Capital Development programme to spur sustainable growth of the nation’s economy and improve life expectancy of  citizens.

Since its launch, state governments in each geographic zone have been interfacing on how to come up with a joint framework to effectively implement the programme based on their peculiarities.

At the North Central conference, stakeholders expressed concern over the sustainability of the programme variously described a veritable vehicle for curbing the rising poverty rate, insecurity and other ills within the zone.

Governor Sule noted that the only way to keep the programme running is for each state House of Assembly within the zone to be encouraged to give legal backing to the effort.

He directed the state’s focal person on Human Capital Development (HCD), Habiba Balarabe Suleiman, to immediately liaise with the attorney-general and commissioner of justice to initiate a bill to be sent before the House of Assembly seeking passage of a law establishing the HCD in the state.

He said the HCD programme, a brainchild of the National Economic Council (NEC) aimed at repositioning the country on the path of sustainable, accelerated development, increased economic opportunities,  social inclusion and improve the living standards and quality of the citizenry. 

He noted that the conference is therfore in line with the objective of the NEC to promote investment opportunities and fostering synergy as well as development partnership between the government and the regions, being the critical stakeholders for the socioeconomic development of the country.