As Prince Clem Agba Bows Out Of Office With A Deserving Sense Of Fulfilment
No doubt a man who wields a humongous experience not only in the oil and gas sector where he spent a large chunk of his years working in the industry across the globe, but across other fields of human endeavour where he has deployed administrative dexterity to turn things around.
His appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning in 2019 was a game-changer as he brought so much vibrancy and innovations into the ministry with a view of repositioning for optimal service delivery to Nigerians.
In coming days, precisely May 29, he will bow out of office by the virtue of expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure as the President of Nigeria. What is however remarkable is that he is leaving behind a legacy for which he will be remembered in years to come.
His greatest asset is his experiential capacity, which spans from private and public sector, especially in the oil industry where he served for the greater years of his working age.
Among organisations where he has worked include, Tengizchevroil (TCO) LLC as Logistics Superintendent, Chevron Nigeria Limited where he occupied several positions, including Senior Contract Advisor, Community Procurement Operations Manager, Transport and Travel Manager and more.
In public sector, he has held several positions Edo State Government House, including commissioner in charge of Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities as well as Ministry of Land, Survey and Housing.
Clem Agba is known for making the very best in whatever he sets his eye to achieving, a testimony clearly seen in his catalogue of milestones in Edo while he was Commissioner.
It was not surprising that the Ministry of Budget and National Planning under him brought on board so much innovations that helped in fostering trust and transparency in governance, as well as affording citizens opportunity to be part of their developmental process.
The deployment and launch of “Eye-Mark Web Application” which helps to monitor and evaluate execution of projects embarked upon by Federal Government is a significant milestone. It is a GRID 3 geo-spatial technology, domiciled in the Monitoring and Evaluation Department of Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning that ensures transparency and integrity in project execution through citizens’ participation.
The Minister wants to ensure that the era when the government only “earmark money” for development projects with minimal monitoring is gone. Now it would also “eye-mark” progress in the execution of such projects as captured in the budget. The intent of the “eye-mark web app” is to use geo-spatial technology to monitor progress of all projects.
Under him, the campaign for resource mobilisation gained momentum, with a projection that taxation of the digital economy can raise government revenue profile by about 15 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025.
The Ministry of Finance Budget and National planning introduced the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative (SRGI) and the Finance Act, which the minister was an active part of was aimed at mobilising domestic funds necessary for human capital and infrastructure development that were both drivers and enablers of sustainable economic growth and development.
The Minister told a gathering, “The SRGI is designed to improve government revenue and entrench fiscal prudence with emphasis on achieving value for money. A total of 47 Strategic Revenue Growth Initiatives were identified across three thematic areas to achieve sustainability in revenue generation, identify new revenue streams and enhance the enforcement of existing ones as well as achieve cohesion in the revenue ecosystem.
“The digitalisation of the economy has revealed some challenges and shortcomings in the existing tax practice as it affects the allocation of taxing rights and administration of taxes, especially with respect to non-resident taxpayers.”
The Ministry of Budget and National Planning has frontally dealt with these issues through a three-pronged approach that consists of strategic changes to tax policy, administration and effective legislative framework which has loosened up locked revenues critical to building a new nation.
As a means ensuring that the vulnerable in the society are protected, he initiated an inter-ministerial technical working committee to review the National Social Protection Policy and produce a revised policy which started to run from 2021-2025. His ministry mainstreamed social protection into a Medium Term National Development Plans which started since 2021 to terminate in 2025 while a long term perspective plan is the Nigeria Agenda 2050 which has successfully taken Nigeria to a proper medium and long term planning. Today, we are all witnesses to the digitisation process in the payment of needy households and how leakages have been blocked to ensure wider coverage of social protection schemes of the government.
Under him, for the first time in Nigeria since 1999 the minister has been able to change the budget circle to a predictable January to December consistently in the past four years, the Federal Government also budgeted N126 billion in the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to upgrade infrastructure in Nigeria’s Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) and teaching hospitals to ensure effective access to health among Nigerians.
His ministry understood the importance of partnership to drive institutional financial support for implementation of research planning outcomes towards improving the health of the masses. His ministry was at the forefront in driving progress in the health sector by upgrading and developing Nigeria’s health infrastructure and ensuring operationalisation of the National Health Act 2018 which seeks to increase the fiscal space and overall financing to the health sector to assist Nigeria achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through revitalisation of Primary Health Care (PHC) and other schemes.
This space cannot contain the catalogue of achievements the ministry has made under Agba. As he bows out, it is important to state that he has gloriously inked his name in the nation’s historical page of honour with the outstanding performance he has demonstrated. For these, posterity will be kind to him.
Below are 65 Projects In Edo State facilitated by Hon Minister of state for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba
1- Solar Powered Water Works Plus Reticulation, Idumuadile
Uwalor Oke Ward 9 – Esan North East
2- Solar Powered Water Works Plus Reticulation, Ubierumun Neko,
Uromi, Ward 11 -Esan North-East
3- Construction of Uwalor Oke Road Uromi With Drainages, Esan
North East (5Km)
4- Solar Powered Water Works Plus Reticulation,
Idumuangue,Ward 8, Uromi, Esan North East.
5-Solar Powered Water Works Plus Reticulation, Akahia,UhieleEkpoma, Ward 9 Esan North-West
6-Flood And Erosion Control Works At Idumu-Oleghe, Okaigben Ewohimi, Esan South East Lga, Edo State Edo Central
Esan South East
7-Perimeter Fencing Of Ewatto Grammar School Eguare Ewatto, Esan South-East
8-Provision of Computers and other learning materials to Effandion
Secondary School, Effandion, Uromi – Esan South-East
9-Construction of 4km Aiyetoro – Somorika road, AkokoEdo LGA
10-Construction of Enwam – Egbigbere Road Akoko Edo, Edo State
(6Km)
11-Construction of Ojirami – Erhurun Uneme – Ogute Akoko Edo
Lga
12-Construction of UBEC Block of 6 classrooms at Orere Primary School, Igarra- Akoko-Edo
13- Supply Of Agricultural Cargo Tricycles, Grass Cutting Machines, Improved Cassava, Yam,Grains Seedlings,Fertilizers And Herbicides To Farmers In Edo North
14-Construction of 3km Okpenada – Ogochi Road, Etsako Central
15-Construction of Agenebode – Osomegbe- Udochi Road in Etsako East and Etsako Central – In 2021 budget. – Procurement processes-Etsako Central
16-Construction of Ogbona – Ogomeze Road in Etsako Central
17-Supply and installation of Solar Home Systems in Selected Etsako Central Communities
18- Supply And Installation of Solar Powered Street Lights In Anegbette in Etsako Central
19-Supply And Installation of Solar Powered Street Lights In Irakhor, Udaba and Ukpeko-Ore Etsako Central
20- 13 5km Road connecting the entire 7 Egori communities in Etsako East
21-Construction of 80 Bed Hospital In Uzanu-Etsako East
22-Construction of Agenebode to Unuedegor Road-Etsako East
23-Construction of Ekwosor-Iviukwe Road: 2.5Km- Etsako East
24-Construction of Mini Stadium In Etsako East
25-Construction of Open Market Stores With Borehole, Toilet Facilities, Solar Powered Streetlights And Erosion Control In Agenebode- Etsako East
26-Construction of Road Connecting Uneme-Uzanu-Odoba To Okpekpe, Etsako East Local Government, Edo State (21Km)
27-Construction Of Solar Powered Borehole, Ivioghe, Etsako East Lga, Edo State
40 -Construction of IDP village in Auchi, Etsako West. – Issues with location being sorted-Etsako West
41-Construction of Ikholo-Ogbido-Ayoghena Road, Ogbido – Uzairue Etsako West
42-Construction of Iyamho- Ayua Road in Etsako West -Etsako West
43-Construction of Malik Aikhunegbe Boulevard Road, Opposite
Arafat Mosque Off Otaru PalaceRoad, Auchi-Etsako West
44- Construction Of Open Market Stores With Borehole, Toilet Facilities And Erosion Control In Jattu -Etsako West
45- Rehabilitation Of Health Center, Ikabigbo, Etsako West
46-Solar Powered Water Works Plus Reticulation, Eware,- Etsako
West
47-Supply and installation of Solar Home Systems In Selected Etsako West Communities
48-Supply And Installation of Solar Powered Street Lights In Ayua And Elele, – Etsako West
49-Supply And Installation of Solar Powered Street Lights In Sabo –Etsako West
50-Construction of 31km Uzanu – Ajaokuta road Edo North – Etsako East
Inter-State
51- Supply And Installation Of Solar Powered Street Lights In
Afuze,Warrake, Okpe, Igarra And Akpama In Owan and AkokoEdo Fed Constituency
52- FGN STEM programm in St James Government Sec Sch, AfuzeEmai – Owan East
53 -Reclamation of Warrake Gully Erosion – Owan East
54- Warrake – Iyekhara – Egono Road in Owan East LGA
55- GN STEM programm in Holy Trinity Grammer School Sabongida Ora –
Owan West
56- Deployment of Digital Nigeria Center at Uhonmora secondary commercial school – Owan West
57- Construction Evbotubu Uwelu Adolor College road -Egor
58- Integrated Farm At Igueododo, Orhionmwon Lga, Edo State
59- Provision Of Instructional Materials,School Desk In Selected Schools In Ovia Federal Constituency
60- Construction of Igo-Ikpalla Road
-Ovia North-East
61- Construction of Open Market Stores With Borehole, Toilet Facilities And Erosion Control In Ikoro– Ovia North-East
62-Solar Powered Water Works Plus Reticulation, Ikoro- Ovia NorthEast
63- Supply And Installation Of Solar Powered Street Lights In Ikoro-Ovia North-East
64- Construction Of Aden Bridge Between Okada And OgboguiAbangbe Spur To Benin-Shagamu Dual-Ovia South West
65- Construction Of Federal Primary Care Center Road, Ilobi -Uhumwonde Lga, Edo State
