UNDP Retreat For Governors Will Deepen Governance – Governor Makinde    

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde says the leadership retreat for Nigerian governors in Kigali, Rwanda will deepen governance.

Makinde, who is the Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, made this known in a statement jointly signed by NGF Director of Media, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, and Head, Public Engagement, Outreach and Partnership Lead, UNDP Nigeria, Christabel Chanda-Ginsberg on Monday in Abuja.

The programme was organised by the NGF in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP from August 24 to August 26, 2023.

Governor Makinde described the three-day training on executive leadership as a means of deepening governance across the sub-national level in Nigeria.

“It was an engaging retreat. I am glad a significant number of governors were part of it so that, together, we can use the knowledge acquired.

“The discussions equipped us with adaptive leadership strategies and identifying pathways to effective governance and nationwide sustainable development,” Makinde said.

The theme of the retreat attended by 19 Nigerian state governors at the invitation of the Rwandan President, Mr Paul Kagame, was: “Reimagining Leadership in a fast-Changing World.”

The NGF Director-General, Asishana Okauru said the forum organised the retreat to foster transformative leadership and facilitate honest, frank and open dialogue to shape the discourse on cross-cutting themes.

The UNDP’s Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mohamed Yahya, said the programme offered an opportunity to reimagine Nigeria’s leadership to achieve transformation and nationwide sustainable development.

Also speaking, the UNDP Director of Regional Service Centre, Matthias Naab, said that adaptability in leadership had never been so urgent, globally and in Africa.

“Adaptive leaders possess the unique ability to not only acknowledge the challenges that come their way, but to also harness them as opportunities for growth and innovation,” Naab said.

The retreat, according to the organisers, was on fostering dialogue on reimagining leadership, leveraging innovative technology, as well as drawing inspiration from Rwanda’s transformative journey.

“It also had a session on “Learning through Observation”- an interactive programme that explored Rwanda’s emergence as an investment destination through visits and exchanges with innovation hub Norrsken House, the Rwanda Development Board and the Mayor of the City of Kigali.

“The participants also engaged in sessions that explored Rwanda’s successful investment destination, transformation in digital technology, urban planning and socio-economic transformation,” the statement added.

NAN/Confidence Okwuchi