Abuja-based Global Educators for All Initiative and the Millennium Development Ambassadors organized a commemorative summit to mark the 12th anniversary of the United Nations Millennium Summit 2000 in the FCT on September 6 – 8, 2012. The summit was tagged National Development Summit, where delegates from across the country deliberated on innovative approaches to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by embarking on a nationwide development advocacy and programs. The President of the Millennium Development Ambassadors, Chief Justin Ibezim Agudosi gave the opening address .
In his speech Chief Ibezim Agudosi called among others for an upgrade of the MDGs office to a National Millennium Development Commission. “I will like to propose for your deliberation the need for the upgrading of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs to a status of a National Millennium Development Commission, which should work with other stakeholders to create national development goals and provide guidance to other lower level development commissions like the NDDC, etc. I will also like to advocate for the urgent need to encourage the establishment of Zonal Development Commissions all over the country and not limited to only oil producing states and communities” the chief said.
He made the assertion above as part of his vision of what the summit should deliberate upon.“Three things that I think we should strive to deliberate on. First, we need to deliberate on strategies for the creation of a national culture of sustainable development. Secondly, we should deliberate on approaches to the establishment of institutions, agencies and communities for development. In this regard, I will like to propose for your deliberation the need for the upgrading of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs to a status of a National Millennium Development Commission, which should work with other stakeholders to create national development goals and provide guidance to other lower level development commissions like the NDDC, etc. I will also like to advocate for the urgent need to encourage the establishment of Zonal Development Commissions all over the country and not limited to only oil producing states and communities. My third issue for your consideration at this summit is the need to explore ways of developing and utilizing all resources nationwide for national development.
“ In this regard, I believe that it is important for our nation to move from the realm of exporter of crude oil to become a nation that is capable of refining the crude oil for both local and international consumption. I also feel that this summit should consider the need to utilize the huge human and material resources within the country in our efforts for development. We should not ignore the threat of corruption to national development”
Read the full text of his opening address below:.
National Development Summit 2012 to Commemorate 12th Anniversary of UN Millennium Summit
Formal Opening Address by Ambassador Justin Ibezim Agudosi, President, MDGs Ambassadors Council September 7, 2012; National Merit Award House, Abuja, Nigeria.
…It is an honor and privilege for me to be here in Abuja for this occasion of the National Development Summit 2012 and to have the opportunity to address you at this opening plenary. Thank you so much for your decision to participate in this summit and for your continued commitment to the noble and age long aspiration for global development. As you know, global development is impossible without each nation achieving national development. So, our meeting is very important.
As the President of the Millennium Development Ambassadors Council, I supported the idea of this summit to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the United Nations Millennium Summit that was held September 6 – 8, 2000 in New York with world leaders in attendance. In recognition of the fact that the end of the 12th month begins a new year and that 12 midnight begins a new day, my understanding is that as we commemorate the 12th anniversary of
the Millennium Summit which led to the formulation of the Millennium Development Goals, a new phase of commitment should be made by all to ensure that we advance our nation and the world toward sustainable development. 12 years ago, a few leaders of the world (about 189) out of about 6 billion people of the world met in New York, discussed about the future of our world and eventually issued the Millennium Declaration. The Declaration has become a covenant and compact for global development. We can do same on behalf of our nation.
A few of us are also gathered here today representing the nearly 170 million people of this nation to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Millennium Summit through a National Development Summit. My prayers is that we shall have a successful deliberation on the issues and challenges facing our people and our nation as well as the task that we should undertake in
the days ahead to facilitate the realization of sustainable peace and development in Nigeria.
Following the model of the United Nations Millennium Summit, I am hopeful that participants at this summit shall engage in meaningful discourse as partners in the business of development and that we shall also issue a National Development Declaration 2012 and offer recommendations for the localization of the global Millennium Development Goals. Our summit outcome
should go beyond mere words but lead to concrete actions through the endorsement of National Development Goals, Zonal Development Goals, State Development Goals and even Local Development Goals and Family Development Goals. I believe each of us will reflect on discussion here and return home with our own Personal Development Goals (PDGs) that we shall seek to actualize in our lifetime.
Three things that I think we should strive to deliberate on. First, we need to deliberate on strategies for the creation of a national culture of sustainable development. Secondly, we should deliberate on approaches to the establishment of institutions, agencies and communities for development.
In this regard, I will like to propose for your deliberation the need for the upgrading of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs to a status of a National Millennium Development Commission, which should work with other stakeholders to create national
development goals and provide guidance to other lower level development commissions like the NDDC, etc. I will also like to advocate for the urgent need to encourage the establishment of Zonal Development Commissions all over the country and not limited to only oil producing states and communities. My third issue for your consideration at this summit is the need to explore ways of developing and utilizing all resources nationwide for national development.
In this regard, I believe that it is important for our nation to move from the realm of exporter of crude oil to become a nation that is capable of refining the crude oil for both local and international consumption. I also feel that this summit should consider the need to utilize the huge human and material resources within the country in our efforts for development. We should not ignore the threat of corruption to national development.
As Millennium Development Ambassadors, our guiding philosophy has been “development of the people, by the people and for the people”. In this sense, no one can develop our nation better than ourselves. We as citizens of this nation must be at the center of the development of our nation, even as we seek to work with other nations. We need to begin to focus on identifying those who are already developed in our nation and inspire them to help in developing others. In this way, we can create a common future for all. Let us begin a nationwide campaign today.
I have no doubt in the quality of the discussion that will take place during the summit and I hope that each of us will return home better nourished and equipped to become agents of development from our family, our community, LGA, state and this nation. On behalf of the Millennium
Development Ambassadors and all the many stakeholders for development, I want to welcome you to this summit, wish you fruitful deliberation and hereby declare this National Development Summit officially open. May God bless you, bless our families and our dear nation. ..
