The key to impactful national development is security and the first line of development in leadership is building personal capacity.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume stated this at the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA’s 12th Leadership Lecture Series, organised by the Centre for Leadership and Complex Military Operations, held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.
Senator Akume who was the Guest Speaker at the leadership series of the NDA was represented by Dr. Olusegun Adeyemi Adekunle and presented a paper on the topic: “Leadership, Policy Implementation, and Development in Nigeria.”
According to the SFG, the pillars in the topic which are Leadership, Policy Implementation, and Development are intertwined and must run concurrently for any government to deliver the dividends of good governance.
Paper which was divided into four sections tackled issues under national security and stability, building a peaceful society, education, infractural development, impactful leadership among many important areas of national life.
Senator Akume pointed out in the paper presentation that “Leadership in fostering national development requires long term perspective and the
successful implementation of policies requires commitment
Monitoring and the effective application of evaluation systems”.
In highlighting reasons behind leadership failures, or seeming incapacity in leadership, the SGF highlighted lack of effective leadership, lack of clear vision, low capacity for innovation, the role of corruption and weak disorganised bureaucratic systems among others as some of the cardinal areas of deficiency.
In proffering solutions to the above identified problematic areas, he said the solutions “lie in a whole of society approach in terms of change in mindsets as well as promotion of accountability mechanisms”.
He equally highlighted “Practicing good ethics, promoting rule of law, improved access to justice, seeking collaborations for capacity buildings from foreign partners, determination, visionary leadership, implementation of monitoring and evaluation process, investment in education, healthcare system, capacity building and trainings in specialised areas as well as legislative oversight”.
Speaking further, the Guest Speaker pointed out that education builds awareness for a peaceful society while adequate infrastructure enhances the quality of life of citizens, therefore there must be a deliberate move to invest in impactful development.
Among the participants at the lecture were senior military officers both serving and retired, diplomats, members of the National Assembly, and other private sector leaders.
