Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Intricacies and Dynamics of Development Administration (original) (raw)
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National Development Planning in Nigeria: An Endless Search for Appropriate Development Strategy
Since independence, Nigeria has embarked on series of National Development plans and visions in her endless efforts to search for appropriate development strategy. It is worrisome that these development plans and visions have failed to achieve their expected objectives. This is evident from widespread poverty, dilapidated infrastructure, massive unemployment, high incidence of diseases and excessive debt burden among others. Therefore this study aims to examine critically various development plans in Nigeria and identify those problems that hinder successful implementation of development plans in Nigeria. The study relied on secondary data, as its source of information. Based on the findings that development plans have been accepted as a suitable strategy to address development challenges in Nigeria, this study concludes that the efficacy of our national development plans would be enhanced and serve as a viable instrument of sustainable development if the problems that confront the National Development plans are properly addressed.
Wukari Journal of Public Sector Management, 2017
This research paper examines the nexus between national development planning and sustainable development in Nigeria from 1962-2017. The aim of the study is to x-ray the factors militating against successive implementation of several development plans in Nigeria over the years under review. To obtain the data for the study, secondary data analysis design method was employed. From the data collected and analysed, the following findings were made: (a) weak institutions and governance system; (b) dearth of reliable statistics; (c) gaps between policy formulation and implementation; (d) inconsistency in plans formulations and implementations; (e) unstable governments and polity; (f) over ambitious nature of most plans; (g) financial corruption and other related offences; (h) poor project evaluation and monitoring; and inadequate skilled but disciplined personnel; these collectively inhibited national development planning and sustainable development in the country. In conclusion, we recommend that in addition to other solutions proffered, significant attention must be given to the option of incremental policy and its implementation strategy as evidences from the US and Europe, as contained in empirical literature show positive results. The idea of development planning enjoys considerable currency among virtually all sovereign nations of the world. It is a widely held tradition among national policymakers and development planners to roll out development plans in order to direct the socioeconomic activities of states towards the desired end. Nigeria, therefore, is not an exception in this regard. However, the history of development planning in Nigeria shows that the process dated back to the era of colonial rule; consequently, between 1946 and 1955 a Ten Year Development and Welfare Plan was rolled out by the colonial administrators so as to put the colonial Nigeria on the part of development. This plan was considered the first ever attempt by the colonial authority to chart a comprehensive path to the prosperity of Nigeria and its citizenry. The plan was intended to meet the colonial welfare and development needs; it was estimated to cost $184 million (Akoche & Oono, 2007, p. 74). As argued by the authors of the 1962-68 national development plans, the colonial plan was not a plan in the true sense of the word… but a series of projects which has not been coordinated or related to any overall economic target (Library of Congress, n.d; FRN, 1960). Between 1951 and 1960 there were policy revisions as the plans were reformulated due to
J Soc Sci, 2009
Planning is one of the basic principles of administration and about the most critical of its functions since it permeates all others. Development planning therefore becomes a necessary tool used by many governments and organizations to set their visions, missions, goals, and effective means of realizing development through effective direction and control. Development planning has been a consistent phenomenon in Nigerian administration since 1946. Experts, (e.g. Obikeze and Obi 2004; Okojie 2002) however, argue that it has not been as successful as expected. Truly, Nigeria remains an underdeveloped nation occupying a low position among the poorest countries of the world in spite of her tremendous natural and human resources endowment. This points to a distorted planning regime and implies two things: either the correct plan had not always been made or correct plans made were not effectively implemented. Both options seem to be true of Nigeria. As Obikeze and Obi (2004:) noted, "a review of the various plan (sic) clearly shows that, the country is still very far from where it was envisaged it will be today. This is simply as a result of either faulty
TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT PLANNING IN NIGERIA: 1962 TO 2012
Development planning in Nigeria has suffered from lack of coordination and harmonization of programmes/policies both within the tenure of an administration and those succeeding it. In addition, experience show that this critical task which ought to draw input from critical sectors and be a bottom-up process operates in the reverse. These explain the very poor nature of plan articulation which also negatively affects implementation. The paper is subdivided into: Abstract; Introduction;
Institutionalizing Development Planning in Nigeria: Context, Prospects and Policy Challenges
Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 2014
Sustainable economic growth and development is strongly linked to defining developmental needs and deploying resources towards solving same using the instrumentality of national development plans framework especially in a developing economy such ours that is additionally operating a federal fiscal system. The main objective of the research is to review previous planning experience of Nigeria relative to other developing countries and define key initiatives required for institutionalizing development planning model in Nigeria. In the process, five key benefits of planning have been identified; aligning sectoral needs with resource availability, implementing a mutually supporting sectoral development strategy, value for money in public expenditure spent, result based programme budgeting and strengthened fiscal federalism. Pursuant to the need for Nigeria to achieve the goals and objectives encapsulated in the Vision 20:2020 Economic Transformation Blueprint, specific legal, institutional and policy initiatives are required. However, strong and committed political leadership, sustained plan funding and development of a results based national monitoring and evaluation framework are required for a successful reverting to national development planning framework after a 27 years break.
NIGERIA'S DEVELOPMENT PLANNING (II)
Over the years, the quest to better the lots of Nigerians have been problematique, owing to the fact that the ability to bridge the gap between our now and the future rests on a well designed development plan designed by the government. Obviously, there are good policy documents in Nigeria, but the implementation has always been contentious. As a country, Nigeria is replete with issues that call for development planning or else the future will remain bleak and uncertain as it has always appeared. As students and future development planners we need to ask ourselves; what has been happening to unemployment, illiteracy, environmental degradation, security challenges like Boko Haram, Niger Delta Avengers, killer-herdsmen, uncontrolled population growth, poor agricultural policies, poor infrastructural development, poor industrial policies and poor economic policies birthing low Gross National Product (GNP), Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and low Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) of our local currency. Most of the problems we encounter today are the results of our inability to plan. The experience of the oil boom in the 1970s and the 1980s introduced the first set of 'squandermanias’ and corrupt leaders whose destructive impacts have lasted till date. They never planned for the future of the unborn Nigerians and that is why we are still tagged an underdeveloped nation.
Assessing Development Plans in Nigeria
The socio-economic development of any society is conspicuously linked to development planning embarked upon by the government. This situation is peculiar to all developed societies and underdeveloped society to which Nigeria belongs. Nigeria has over the years embarked on various national and rolling development plans. In place, have been four national development plans and rolling plans including development policies such as Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), Vision 2010, National Economic Empowerment Development Strategies (NEEDS) and currently Vision 2020. These programmes were all initiated to facilitate economic, social, political and technological growth all geared towards improving the living conditions of Nigerians.