By
Ahead of Ahead of July United Nations (UN) on
Sustainable Development Programmes (SDGs) Afrihealth Optonent Association, a
Nigerian Civil Society Organisation Network is worried over some States’
failure to present reports during the validation workshop for Nigerian’s
national voluntary review of the SDGs.
Afrihealth Optonet Association which focuses on
system strengthening for health, community and social development noted that
the reports are due for presentation at high-level political forum of the
United Nations that will be taking place in July.
Making the observation was Dr Uzodinma Adirieje,
who is the Chief Executive Officer of Afrihealth Optonet Association, at a
forum organised by the Civil Society Coalition Development on Sustainable
Development (CSCSD) to appeal to government at all levels to collaborate with
the private sector and other relevant stakeholders in the quest to achieving
the SDGs in Lagos last week,
Adirieje who is also the of National Coordinator
of Afrihealth Optonet Association lamented: “Yesterday, the federal government
in Abuja, presented to us our national voluntary review reforms that is due for
presentation at the forthcoming high level political forum that is to hold in
July.
“One thing came out when I looked at the report,
103 pages and I discovered that some states’ names are missing.
“Out of curiosity started with my own state, I
searched 103 pages, no mention of my state; this is because my network works in
every part of the country.
“I checked other states like Akwa Ibom, no mention
of their names not even as a footnote. When I enquired why it is so, the
consultant said the states failed to respond to invitations to attend meetings
and make presentations on what they are doing on SDGs,” he recounted.
Speaking further, he said: “You know also that we
do not need a soothsayer to tell us that these same states’ officials are also
collecting budgetary money from SDGs on yearly basis and they have nothing to
report.
“That is why I am using this opportunity to
commend the organisers of this forum for bringing some of us from outside Lagos
which means many more states are represented here, I am also happy that Lagos
state is the minority here,” he said.
He however charged the delegates from other states
to go back and ask questions on why their officials have no report to give in
the national forum.
Dr. Adirieje however charged the government to see
SDGs as the road map for Nigeria towards 2030 and called for all hands to be on
deck to achieve this.
He further said: “Government needs to increase
budgetary allocation to the most critical areas as well as vigilance and
transparent and accountability in areas of health for the people.
“Government should pay attention to the critical
SDG goals such as: good health and well being; industry, innovation and
infrastructure; reduce inequalities; good jobs and economic growth and
affordable which are SDGs goals 3, 9, 10, 8, and 7.”
He added, government should build partnership with
the private sector and civil societies.
To the general public: “The achievement and the
realisation of SDG is everybody’s business, not just government, community,
Afrihealth and foreign partners. SDG is everybody’s business,” he said.
He encouraged business people in Nigeria to
increase their corporate social responsibility by supporting communities,
supporting Nongovernmental Organizations to improve lives in our communities.
“Nigeria is such a great country that we can
achieve anything we want to achieve once we pay attention to it and get focused
and government takes the lead as they should do, it is done,” Dr. Adirieje
maintained.
