THE Federal government said the vision 2020 was still being articulated to give it all the necessary impetus for implementation in preparation for the final document.

Disclosing this in Abuja during the 4th meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) on Vision 20-2020, Minister/Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission(NPC), Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, stressed that all ministries and departments were now prepared to set up internal mechanisms that would help complement the broader efforts of various committees.

Answering questions from Journalists on why the plans were still at articulation level, Usman said, "you cannot develop anything fully until you have been able to articulate it.

It is very important to do so as we have no time to waste", adding that presentations have been made to the Federal Executive Council and the National Economic Council and they were well received. According to him, the participation of state governments to develop the plan was key to the success of the effort to make it a truly Nigerian vision that will stand the test of time.

Meanwhile the Federal Government reiterated weekend that if Nigeria must shift from the present 40th in global ranking to be one of the twenty largest world economies, there was the urgent need to rise from the current Gross Domestic Product of $294.8 billion to overtake Egypt($432.9b) and South Africa($467.6b).

According to the government, the present average GDP growth rate of 6..5% over the last five years must be doubled as well as sustain the double digit GDP growth over the next 11 years, to surpass other countries, just as it has inaugurated National Technical Working Groups(NTWGs) for the Nigeria Vision 2020 programme.

Inaugurating the groups in Abuja weekend, Minister/Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, who noted that the Committees have barely seven months to deliver the document against the backdrop that President Umaru Yar'Adua would launch it on1st October, 2009, stressed that the task ahead them will not be easy, more, so, given the paucity of data and very tight schedule.

"This inauguration is important in many ways. The coming together of experts in diverse fields of the economy and polity, to commence the preparation of the background papers in identified thematic areas, for Nigeria's Vision 2020 document, more than anything we have done in the recent past, lends credence to our determination to fashion out for the good people of our great country, an acceptable and achievable long-term Vision document.

A vision document that would guide our development processes in the next 11 years and ensure that we achieve our desired goals.

"The Technical Working Groups are expected to be the engine room in the institutional arrangement for the development of the Vision. This inauguration reassures Nigerians of the genuineness and commitment of Mr. President and his administration to wok assiduously with all stakeholders, in a participatory manner, to transform the Nigerian economy to achieve the objectives of the vision 2020", he said.

According to the government, it must also improve the area of human capital especially in education and Health delivery systems to achieve vision 2020, geared towards building the necessary effective human capital that will drive development, even as it stressed that if Nigeria must raise the GDP from the current $294.8b to over $900b, within the next 11 years, Nigeria's infrastructure services must be such that support the full mobilization of all economic sectors.

Usman who noted that the inauguration was coming at a time when the countries of the world were going back to the basics, putting greater emphasis on proper planning, execution, good governance, appropriate regulations and supervision of economic agents, especially in the financial system, said the members are expected to meet twice monthly as well as engage the use of electronic systems to disseminate information.

The groups, which are made up of thirty Working Groups with 678 members are broken down into Agriculture and Food Security Thematic Area, Business Environment and Competitiveness, Corporate Governance, Culture& Tourism; Education; Employment; Energy; Environment; Financial Sector; Foreign Policy; Governance, Media & Communication; Niger Delta & Regional Development; Sports development, among others.

"Let me assure you that you have all been chosen on your individual merit and recognition. Formulating and preparing a vision document has taken some nations two or more years , but we have barely seven months to deliver the document, as, hopefully, Mr President would launch the document by October 1st, 2009", he added.

The Minister who made reference to the Goldman Sachs Economic Research Group analysis of the emerging economies of 2005, stressed that Nigeria, with other countries such as Egypt, Iran, Turkey amongst others, have the potential to join the league of 20 world economies by 2025, despite the many economic challenges facing the country and the previous economic plans that were not implemented; one of which was the vision 2010.