Abuja – A specialist, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo, has urged government at all levels to ensure that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are implemented to improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
Oladipo, who is a development specialist, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
The specialist said that isolating one or two goals would not help the matter of development, adding that the implementation of the goals should be holistic in manner.
“If you focus on one or two goals, you are not helping the matter.
“Development is very complex, interwoven, social, physical (and) dynamic systems.
“So, let us talk about how to develop Nigerians in a sustainable way.
“If you take it that way, it means you are going to do things that people will have better quality of life.
“They will have it in a better environment, they will have it in an inclusive system which men and women and youths are not excluded.
“They will have it in a stable, political environment in which the governance structure will be very stable, no more conflict.
“So, when you do it that way, they will be able to recognise that climate change for instance, is a risk that must be taken along.
“ By the time you do that and you look at the goals, you will see that everything I have mentioned more or less are reflecting in the 17 goals.
“Don’t forget women, keep them along, talk about climate change, if you improve the quality of life- the health, education, everything is there; poverty is reduced.
“Everything that is what Sustainable human development is all about.’’
Oladipo explained that the major focus of the SDGs in ensuring that humanity live a better life, come out of poverty and have good health and longevity.
”How do we reduce poverty if you don’t create jobs? That is what we should pursue.
“ If you don’t make the environment to be productive, if you don’t include people.
“If you don’t take good decision and if you don’t have good policies, there is no way you can do it so all these goals are important.
“They are asking us to do one thing – make live sustainable for people, make life comfortable for them, give everybody an opportunity.’’
The don stressed the need for leaders to ensure transparency in governance which will in turn promote sustainable development.
According to him, addressing poverty, improving quality of lives and giving everyone equal opportunity and making the environment conducive are some of the targets of the SDGs.
“If you separate poverty from gender, environment, climate change, energy, how do you give people quality life?
“For instance, if Nigeria is able to produce at least 10,000 megawatts of energy from renewable source, everybody in this country will be jumping up.
“Everybody will be happy because an average family will be getting light of at least 5 to 6 hours a day.
“All the 17 goals, they are pointing to the fact that each nation must pursue a development path that will not destroy the environment.
“ The path that will not destroy environment and leave it worse than it was, allow the environment to continue to re-generate so that the coming generation will also have something.’’
NAN reports that SDGs consist of 17 goals and 169 targets, and are aimed at eradicating poverty, addressing inequality, and tackling climate change over the next 15 years.
It is also geared towards social, economic, and the environmental dimensions to sustainable development.
It also focuses on issues such as peace, justice, and effectiveness of relevant institutions in the next 15 years. (NAN)