Alaghodaro 2019: Stakeholders, investors identify new paths to economic growth, improved welfare

…Commend Obaseki’s reforms, infrastructural investment drive

Stakeholders, investors and experts at the Alaghodaro 2019 Summit have identified Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as key to economic growth, enhanced welfare and improved governance.

 

Alaghodaro 2019, which started on Friday 8, November, 2019 came to a close on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 with the Summit themed, “Delivering to the People, The Next Level.” The event brought experts from all walks of life to Benin City, the Edo State capital, to mark the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s third year in office and interrogate development strides in the state.

 

The event which comprised three plenary sessions on achieving economic growth, improving governance and enhancing social welfare saw the experts analysing the three years of developmental achievements of the Godwin Obaseki-led administration and charting new paths to improve on the policies and reforms.

 

The first session on achieving economic growth was moderated by Dean, Lagos Business School, Prof. Enase Okonedo, while the panelists include Managing Director, Okomu Oil Palm Company, Dr. Graham Hefer; Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Prof James Momoh; Director General Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha and Regional senior Partner(West Africa), PwC Nigeria, Mr. Uyi Akpata.

 

The session on improving governance had panelists including Country Director, DAI Nigeria, Dr. Joe Abah, Partner and Head, Internal Audit, Risk and Compliance Services (IARCS), KPMG Nigeria, Tomi Adepoju, Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Igbinidu Inneh, EVC, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, Tunji Olaopa and was moderated by Partner, Templars Law, Mr. Olumide Akpata.

 

The last session was on enhancing social welfare, and had panelists such as CEO, Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation, Ms. Osayi Alile, Executive Director, Dangote Industries Limited, Ms. Halima Dangote, Managing Director, Family Homes Fund, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, Independent Board Director, Amazing Grace Inspirations, Mrs. Juliana Oyegun. It was moderated by SSA to the President, Job Creation and Youth Empowerment, Afolabi Imoukhuede.

 

The keynote speaker, Chris Tan, who is also the Executive Vice President and Partner, PEMANDU Associates, Malaysia said the list of accomplishments of the Obaseki-led government is commendable as it is to think towards moving to the next level.

 

In his lecture, Translating Policies into Results, he said most African leaders fail in governance because of lack of clear objectives and leadership commitment.

 

He identified setting key priorities; going to the labs, which enables private and public sector come together to chart paths in driving the state to the next level; conducting an open day, which gives room  for feedback and criticism on government plans; setting targets in line with the administration’s vision and taking action as ways in which state  governments could achieve results.

 

“It is worthwhile that in the first term as Governor, you have built all these enabling infrastructures and created the delivery system in such a way that you are now ready to take yourself and your state to the next phase of development. That’s an example of what we call situational leadership. Governor Obaseki has done well in setting Edo State in the right direction,” he said.

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