The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP – SDGs) Princess Adejoke Orelope – Adefulire has assured His Excellency, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Executive Governor, Gombe State of her Office strong support and partnership in some key areas of the Federal Government Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially in the areas of high quality education, good primary health care, human capital development and girl child development among others.
- She made this statement when His Excellency, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the Executive Governor of Gombe State paid her a courtesy visit on Tuesday 21st July, 2020 in her office.
- The SSAP informed His Excellency, that the OSSAP – SDGs is working very hard to achieve the vision and mission of the Office and to ensure the implementation and achievements of the SDGs Agenda by 2030 with the principle of “Leaving No One Behind.
- Highlighting some of the recent development in the Office, the SSAP – SDGs said Nigeria participated in the recent United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) meeting virtually. Adding that, Nigeria through the OSSAP – SDGs focused on seven key issues of SDG 1- No Poverty, SDG 3- Good health and well-being, SDG 4- Quality Education, SDG 5- Gender Equality, SDG 8- Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG-16 Peace, Justice and strong Institutions and SDG-17 Partnerships. These, according to her are based on Nigeria`s current development objectives of President Muhamadu Buhari`s Administration.
- Princess Adejoke further stated that, despite the COVID 19 Pandemic and it`s negative effect on the economy, it has directly or indirectly open the eyes of the Government to look inward of the economic diversification to generate revenue, pointing out that, Nigeria will gradually surmount all the problems adding that, OSSAP – SDGs has started the plan to launch another Voluntary National Review (VNR) report by 2022.
- However, the SSAP –SDGs said that, her Office is working with the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to see how women and girl child can be empowered, because women are the rock of every family, that the role of women can never be over emphased. Also, in the plan is to educate the women and empower them through skill development which if achieved will drastically reduce domestic violence in the homes and other social vices.
- The SSAP – SDGs re-affirmed her support to partner with His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Gombe State in achieving the SDGs in his state especially the three key areas of Education, Health and Human Capacity Building. She further commend the Governor for effective handling of Security challenges, and Almajiri`s problems in the state. She thanked him for the good work he is doing and further wish him all the best in governance.
- Speaking earlier, His Excellency, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Executive Governor, Gombe State applauds the SSAP-SDGs for her achievements so far. He said, his visit is to see how best he can partner with OSSAP –SDGs especially in the areas of Human Capacity Development, Provision of High Quality Education, Good Primary Health Care and Girl Child Development.
- He said the State has recently registered about three hundred and twenty thousand (320,000) out – of – school children back to school, adding that most of them the Almajiri children were tested for COVID 19 and those of them found positive were treated. He further said, efforts are on-going to make sure that all out-of-school children in the state are enrolled back to school and taken care of.
- The Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya said the effect of insecurity in the surrounding states of Yobe, Bornu, Adamawa and Taraba is taking its toll in the states infrastructural development. The Governor prayed that, the OSSAP – SDGs through its Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) Intervention will come to their aid.