By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja – Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning said the Federal Government would assist the Centre for Management Development (CMD) to increase its capability for institutional capacity and human resources development.
CMD is an agency under the Ministry of Budget and National Planning with the mandate of providing services in the areas of management training and development, economic management and administration, and research.
Udoma said this in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, James Akpandem on Sunday in Abuja.
Udoma, who gave the assurance when he visited CMD in Lagos, noted that the government would support the centre to aid effective delivery of its economic plans and national management objectives.
He said that Nigeria was blessed with a lot of human and natural resources which needed better management to harness their full pot entitled.
“”As an institution set up by government to provide management training, the CMD has an important role to play in improving the quality of management in Nigeria,’’ Udoma said.
The minister said his visit was aimed at encouraging members of staff to brace up for the responsibilities ahead in achieving the successful implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
ERGP projected that Nigeria will make significant progress to achieve structural economic change with a more diversified and inclusive economy in five key areas by 2020.
The key areas are stable macro-economic environment, agricultural transformation, food security, sufficiency in energy and improved transportation infrastructure.
“”We came in as a government determined to change Nigeria, determined to change the way things are being done, to change Nigeria from a nation of consumers to a nation of producers.
”“So, we want fundamental change and we have been working to put together a series of policies to achieve that; and that is what is contained in the ERGP,’’ he said.
According to him, the ERGP is a national plan requiring contributions from everybody for its successful implementation.
He said that as a parastatal under the ministry, the CMD has a critical role in the implementation of the Plan.
“As the coordinating Ministry, we have to be at the vanguard of its implementation.
“”I therefore want everybody in the CMD to familiarise themselves with the details of the Plan and to take responsibility for promoting and assisting in the implementation of the Plan.’’
Udoma emphasised the need to develop institutional capacity as well as capacity for human resources management to achieve the objectives of the plan.
He also acknowledged the challenges being faced by the CMD, and promised to help them address some of them.
The minister, however, advised the institution to focus on making better use of the extensive facilities which he had just inspected.
“”You should see yourself also as a revenue generating agency of the government at this time when the country is experiencing revenue challenges.
“ ” Every single agency of government must be able to think outside the box, by finding innovative ways of cutting costs and generating revenues,’’ he said.
Earlier, the Director-General of the CMD, Dr Kabiru Usman told the minister about the challenges the Centre had been facing to effectively achieve its mandate.
Also, the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Lagos Centre, Dr Okeniyi, said the visit of the minister to CMD would bring meaningful intervention to the centre.
He said that members of staff would be looking up to the minister for a meaningful change .