Peer Review: Focus on grassroots Gambari urges AUDA/APRM Nigeria
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Chairperson, Panel of Eminent Persons, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has called on African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development/ APRM (AUDA-NEPAD/APRM) Nigeria to focus on the grassroots and avoid tampering with their findings in the second peer review assessment of the country.
This was contained in a statement signed on Thursday by Abolade Ogundimu, Media Assistant to the National Coordinator, Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria.
Gambari made the call on Wednesday, July 31 in his opening statement at the interactive session, organised by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha (the Focal Point of APRM in Nigeria) for the newly inaugurated National Governing Council (NGC) of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM.
It will be recalled that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for transformation of NEPAD Nigeria to AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria and conduct of Second Peer Review of the country, he appointed 15-man into the NGC of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria to complete its structure of operation.
The SGF inaugurated the Council on Tuesday which led to the interactive session for further interactions among Council members and relevant resource persons on the task ahead.
According to Gambari, the review is not for the purpose of competition with other nations but to identify level of development in key areas of governance and socio-economy of individual nation, with the aim of sharing ideas on improvement.
” Peer Review is a voluntary mechanism put in place by the African Union for the assessment of member nations development in certain areas of governance and economy.
“The report should be a true reflection of situations in the assessed socio- economic issues like child enrolment in schools, access to healthcare, and so on.
“It is important to note that self-assessment should be focused on grassroots and not national stage in order to have very good report, it is better to assess at local government ” he said.
The advice became necessary because majority of Nigerians live in the rural areas, hence the need to assess their standard of living, for effective planning on how to improve their living standard and harness their productivity for national development.
“True self- assessment will not only help the nation to identify areas of weakness and strength in her developmental life but also help other nations to know how to achieve similar growth or avoid underdevelopment in certain areas,” he said.
Gambari also reminded the council of cross checking system of APRM continental secretariat, ahead of publication of a nation’s Review Report for others to use, saying a team always visit to verify the claims.
He therefore urged the national secretariat to engage various stakeholders on issues that would be assessed for a national report.
Similarly, the SGF, represented by Mr. Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary, Politics and Economic Affairs Office, (office of the SGF) assured the council and the entire secretariat, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria that the Federal Government would provide needed support for effective delivery of their mandates.
He however urged them to divorce themselves from sentiments in the course of carrying out their duties, saying President Muhammadu Buhari-led government was ready to work on the outcome to boost development and improve governance.
Sen. ABBA Ali, Chairman, NGC of AUDA-NEPAD/ APRM Nigeria assured the eminent personality of APRM, and the entire nation that his team would ensure success of the 2nd Peer Review of the country after 11 years.
Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator, Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria and Secretary of the NGC expressed appreciation to Buhari for the choice of persons appointed into the council.
” I thank Mr. President for appointing persons with pedigree and dedication into the NGC of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria, that goes a long way to once again confirm his passion for better developed nation that can all be proud off.
“They were selected from every part of the country, representing various sector of human endeavour in order to ensure that the agency delivers on its mandate,” she said.
Other members of the NGC : Amb. Haliru Sodangi, Dr. Bala Zakari, Mr. Dozie Madu, Chief Barnabas Chimezie Njoku, Chom Bagu, Mrs. Tawakalitu Olayemi Yusuf, Dr. Ugo Beke Hon. (Barr.) Thomas Okasun, Comrade Ayuba Wabba , Mrs. Halima Kiyari Joda Dr. Louis Mandema, Mr. Kola Adesina, Mrs. Okieimen Funke Iyabo.
Different papers are relevant to the achievement of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM mandates were presented by various resource servers.
They include ‘ Second Review APRM PROCESS’ by Miss Mary Izobo from APRM Headquarters, South Africa, while Mr Partick Okigbo, a resource mobilisation Consultant who presented a paper titled ‘Transformation of NEPAD to AUDA-NEPAD’ .
Also a paper on ‘NGC Roles/Responsibilities ‘ was presented by Mr. Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary, Politics and Economic Affairs Office, (office of the SGF) .
APRM is the world’s first known mechanism, collectively embraced to ensure collective development of any continent of multiple nations.
