‘Effective Policy Implementation Key to National Development’

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Effective policy formulation and implementation remained critical in tackling Nigeria’s socio economic and other developmental challenges, the Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, has said.
Olotu spoke at the opening of the second edition of the “Policy Formulation and Implementation Course” organised by the college in Abuja.
He said the course would essentially focus on policy formulation, analysis, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said the content was designed to bridge the gaps between public policy formulation and the available knowledge and capacity of public officers to implement policies crafted in addressing Nigeria’s socio economic and other developmental challenges.
“Policy formulation remains a critical factor on national development and the main objective of the course is to equip participants with the requisite knowledge on how to formulate and implement public policies at various levels in Nigeria”, he said.
The commandant said the course would also examine contemporary global and national policy environment as well as broaden the understanding of public policy and policy science.
He added that the course would also help to enhance understanding of policy making, analysis and implementation.
“This will facilitate understanding formulation and implementation challenges and frame new ways to improve public policy making and implementation.
“The policies will not implement themselves and so we must also equip those that will implement the policies”, he said.
One of the resource persons, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi from Rivers State University, said there were links between policy making, good governance, security and development, which according to him, were the four pillars of national progress.
Zeb-Obipi said the gap between policy formulation and implementation could be filled by competence in understanding the different shades of details involving policy making, evaluation and implementation.
He said Nigeria had enough policies to engender development, stating that there were challenges of policy somersault, indigestion and ‘diarrhea’.
“We are not lacking policy, but making sure these policies are fit for purpose and achieve their goals are the challenges,” he said.