BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which evolved from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), will reach their eighth anniversary, consistent with the 2016 declaration of the United Nations General Assembly’s 71st session.
The successive appointments of Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire in 2016 and 2023 underscore Nigeria’s dedication to integrating and broadening the initiative across all levels, consistent with its 17 objectives to offer relief to vulnerable Nigerians universally.
The domestication of various initiatives, in conjunction with international agencies, donor agencies, public and private sector advisory groups, voluntary groups, and civil society organizations, has yielded notable improvements in healthcare, education, poverty reduction, access to basic amenities like water and electricity, and mitigation of adverse effects, in line with the 17 SDGs.
Four years down the line, between 2016-2020 , the rejuvenation and reactivation of social services, social security along with its 17 SDGs Goals resulted in the convening of the decade of action , the 2020-2030 Agenda as a template to eradicate and provide the needed succour to the people in accordance with the global community’s template and envisaged interventions.
With the grand launch of the decade of action at UNGA 75 in 2020 and the subsequent convening of the program and domestication in Nigeria same year , tagged the 2020-2030 Agenda /decade of action, the process of resolving and providing needed basic social amenities and security to ordinary Nigerians was debuted.
The program been carried out with synergy with the National Assembly and lawmakers who were encouraged to domicile both empowerment, training, construction of schools, hospitals, ICT, capacity building and other engagement programs through the SDGs to ensure genuine sustainable development.
Advancing from the success recorded after the introduction of 17 goals SDGs in 2016 and the movement to 2020-2030 Agenda, four years after a thorough extensive provisions and interventions on Education ,Health facilities and services led to the launch of SDGs Goals 3,4, “Evaluation Report “along with providing portable and affordable water, light and other essentials among other poverty reduction programs, through series of interventions, initiatives.
Confronting with the new order of Climate , Conflict and COVID-19 (3C’s), that had become a norm to contend with , the new leadership is addressing the new crises in line with both domestic and global approach.
Coinciding with other variables and tackling it headlong, the SDGs in Nigeria launched the International National Financing Framework INFF in UNGA 77 in 2022, capable of securing the provision of all the 17 SDGs goals requirements and expectations seamlessly, without relying on the public sector and due enumeration of priority areas.
At UNGA 78 in 2023 coinciding with the appointment of Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire for another term, SDGs leadership also highlighted the need to consolidate the launch of the International National Financing Framework INFF template, a maiden program that drives SDGs activities through its global and local domestication.
One year down the line, Sustainable Development Goals SDGs had redoubled advocacy, awareness, sensitization on the 17 SDGs Goals, while consolidating on provision of hospitals across the country, the donation of centres to tertiary health institutions across the country and FCT among many others
Aside building and donating 40 (100) bed hospitals to institutions and states across the country, SDGs also advocated better care for sickle cell patients with the donation of a centre to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital LUTH.
The ongoing sensitization, awareness, and advocacies capable of fast tracking the implementation of SDGs both at the national and sub national levels.
While asking for a concerted efforts towards achieving the 17 SDGs Goals, she used the opportunity during the 2024 international women’s day(IWD) to also prioritise the welfare of women among others in line with the goals, stating that women marginalization was glaringly against the template for the implementation of SDGs.
In preparation for the UNGA 79 at a time she has spent one year in office, no doubt this year’s program was capable of addressing the global 3C’s, make adequate provision for the advancement of 17 SDGs Goals in line with INFF, among many other envisaged decisions and resolutions.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
