The United Nations (UN) has urged Nigeria to redouble efforts to attain the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) aimed at ending poverty and ensuring peace and prosperity.
The United Nations Residents Coordinator in Nigeria, made the call when he visited Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State yesterday.
Fall tasked Nigeria’s governments to invest more in human capital development to transform the country from its present challenges.
“As the SDGs are ending in 2030 with less than six years to go, we see that Nigeria is off track.
“There are some indicators that Nigeria has not even reached the Millennium Development Goals, let alone for SDGs. They should boost education like Mbah did, by improving access and quality.
“In the education system, they can introduce digitalisation, bring energy which is critical for Development. The government needs agriculture, which is one of the sectors that ensures food production and of high concern in the developmental potential’’ he said.
While lauding Mbah for his strides in education, especially with the Smart Schools and water provisions, Fall said that there was a need for governments to train children and young people with basic knowledge.
According to him, today’s world is not about what one has on the ground or the amount of cash or currency one has as a reserve, but for any community, society or nation, is to invest in human capital development.
The coordinator said that despite the challenges facing the country presently, leaders should go out of their way to improve the well-being of their people.
“UN has 26 agencies in Nigeria with a wide range of expertise that the country can explore to bring development for its people,” he said.
Noting that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN would end by 2030, Fall said that the organisation was focusing more on agriculture; security, social protection and job creation, education, renewal energy, as well as digitalisation for acceleration.
Fall said that any success recorded in Enugu State would continue to change the narrative of Nigeria and Africa. (NAN)
