Emma Amaize and Austen Ogwuda
16 July 2008
Lagos — GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, yesterday, inaugurated the 126-man Vision 2020 Council and Steering Committee, comprising distinguished entrepreneurs and professionals from the state to draw up a practical blueprint for the state to build an economy that is not dependent on oil.
Declaring that his administration was already shifting emphasis from oil to other sectors of the economy, the governor said: "A major assignment before the Council and Committee is to explore, identify, and tap innovative sources of funding for the Vision 2020 blueprint. Any funding plan based on our dwindling oil revenue."
Uduaghan tasks Council on other revenue sources
Governor Uduaghan raised some posers: "Can we not do more in agriculture? What about the many solid minerals? Have we tapped the tourism potentials of the state? What do we do with the rich cultures of our people? How can we produce highly skilled people to reinvent Delta State?
Why are we unable to develop industries to service the oil sector, while the oil lasts? Have we explored the vast opportunities of our creeks, rivers, seas and seaports?
"Answers to these posers", he said, "have to be uncommon to meet the challenges ahead. For me, the challenge is to return our people to an economy without oil, to the natural resources that abound in Delta State and the use of their skills for meaningful economic engagements.
"The State Vision 2020 Council, as the apex organ, will have the following terms of reference: provide leadership and support for the visioning process; consider and approve recommendations of the Steering Committee with respect to the vision statement, goals, targets, priorities, strategies and programmes; review progress of work and give necessary directives and approve the Vision Document and modalities for its implementation," he said.
The State Steering Committee, which is the engine room of the visioning process, has among its responsibilities the development of a vision statement and its elements; setting of appropriate goals, targets and strategies for achieving socio-economic objectives; guide and assist the technical committee to develop their own components of Delta Vision 2020 in accordance with the guidelines and priorities approved by the Delta State Vision 2020 Steering Committee; and develop and implement strategy for obtaining inputs from stakeholders.
It is also to arrange state-wide dissemination of information to pave the way for the widest participation and buy-in by stakeholders, undertake comparative studies of best practices in the area of long-term planning and visioning process; determine research studies needed to generate data for the preparation of the vision; develop a result-oriented communication strategy that will mobilise stakeholders to action and also regularly monitor annual progress towards the attainment of the vision; liaise with the Federal and state counterparts on the preparation of the vision; and prepare and deliver to the Council, the draft Vision Document.
Boardroom guru, Mr. Gamaliel Onosede, who responded on behalf of the members of the council and committee thanked the state government for the opportunity given to them to chart a way forward for the state, and promised that they would discharge the task creditably.
Some four hours after the inauguration, the Council and Steering Committee members held a meeting to strategise on how to tackle the assignment, which Governor Uduaghan said Deltans have high expectations on.
Attendees
The occasion was attended by the immediate past governor of the state, Chief James Ibori; Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama; Senator Patrick Osakwe; Senator O. Eferakeya; Minister of Special Duties, Elder Godsday Orubebe; Dr. Gamaliel Onosede; Chairman of Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Sam Amuka; former Information Minister, Prof Sam Oyovbaire; Prof B.I.C. Ijomah; the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II; the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien; the Orodje of Okpe, Major General Felix Mujakperuo (rtd.); Chief Mike Adiotomre, chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC); Chief Wellington Okirika among others.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
