The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is set to host its third induction for its incoming and returning governors on key aspects of governance.
This year, the program is holding at the Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, with President Muhammadu Buhari as the Special Guest of Honor.
The induction which is to commence from Monday May 15 to Wednesday 19th, 2023, will bring together newly elected and re-elected, past governors, National and international leaders, captains of industries and development partners.
The induction programme will also deal with how to seamlessly ease the outgoing governors to a life after office.
In a statement, the Director, Media and Public Affairs, Nigerian Governors’ Forum Secretariat, Abdulrazaque Barkindo, stated that the induction programme for incoming and returning governors was the NGF’s flagship program where the incoming governors are supported with special tools to usher them into office.
He explained that the initiative is aimed at supporting the incoming governors to develop key governance and management skills and enable them transition from campaigning to managing the processes of governance.
According to him, speakers are invited from all over the world from among heads of governments, members of the diplomatic corps, captains of industry and other categories of guests who have accomplished and distinguished history of service to their people to inspire the Governors to hit the ground running.
The current Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams and two former American Governors, Terry McAuliffe of the State of Virginia and O’Malley Martin Joseph of Maryland are gracing the occasion.
Perusing their performance resume, O’Malley became renown for reducing crime while McAuliffe focused on healthcare provision and education.
Eric Adams, the Mayor of New York City, which, if it were a country would have the nineth-largest gross metropolitan product (GMP) of $1.66 trillion and known to have applied digital methods to fight crime in NYC will be speaking at the event virtually.
Also expected to speak at the Nigerian Governor Forum, NGF, induction is Professor Peter Anyang Nyongo, Governor of the Kisumu County in Kenya who transformed Kenya’s hospital fund to a national health insurance fund, reduced poverty and brought Kisumu County to compete in poverty reduction, education and infrastructure with modern cities around the globe.
Also invited to the NGF induction are, Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, the Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa and President William Ruto of Kenya.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization, Amina Jane Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations and Dr Akinwumi Adeshina of the African Development Bank, will also share their wealth of experiences to bear on the occasion.
Other speakers include the National Security Adviser, Major-General Mohammed Babagana Monguno, who will be speaking on managing security in the States, with Kaduna Governor, Malam Nasiru el-Rufai, Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba and the DG DSS among others, as panelists.
Another compelling engagement would include a topic on recruiting your team, vetting, ethics, staffing the Governor’s office and identifying critical skills and capacity, which will be led by Governor El Rufai as the lead speaker.
There will also be rich conversations on managing expectations and powering the bureaucracy to accomplish your agenda and balancing political appointees versus the civil service, among many other critical governance toolkits.
Traditionally, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces is invited to give the Keynote address to the gathering of Governors including those that are already out of office.
Meanwhile, the last two days of the week, starting from 18th May to 19th May 2023, will be occupied by activities of the First Ladies.
