PGFconsolidated policy brief

PROGRESSIVE
GOVERNORS
FORUM
PGF POLICY DOCUMENT
PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF
VOLUME 1, 2015
PROGRESSIVE GOVERNANCE SESSION
1ST QUARTER, 2015
THEME:MARCH FORA NEW NIGERIA

1
P G F P O L I C Y D O C U M E N T
PROGRESSIVE
GOVERNORS
FORUM
PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF
PROGRESSIVE GOVERNANCE SESSION
1ST QUARTER, 2015
THEME: MARCH FOR A NEW NIGERIA
VOLUME 1, 2015
DATE: Monday, 23rd March, 2015.
VENUE: Banquet Hall, Government House, Owerri, Imo State.
TIME: 10am prompt
PGF POLICY DOCUMENT

“MARCH FOR A NEW NIGERIA”
- HE Owelle Rochas Okorocha, at the Progressive Governanceth
Session held onThursday, 19 March, 2015 in Ikeja, Lagos State
Chairman of the occasion,
APC Presidential Candidate and hisVice
Governors of the Progressive States and their representatives,
Members of the Executive Council of theAll Progressives Congress,
Distinguished Senators,
Members of the House of Representatives,
Gentlemen of the Press,
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am delighted to welcome you to a very unique Governance Session of the
Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).The timing of the Session, coming at the
cusps of the first ever democratic alternation of political power from an
incumbent party to an opposition party, is historic.We are confident about this
given the groundswell of support by millions of Nigerians who have shown
solidarity with APC's message of “change” across the length and breadth of our
country.There is no hiding the fact that our people are ready for change. Our
interaction with diverse spheres of the Nigerian society during our recent
campaigns presents this Session as a very important intellectual hybrid space that
challenges us as the government in waiting to collectively re-examine our policy
thrusts in line with the expectations of the Nigerian people.
The commitment of theAPC to meeting the aspirations of the Nigerian people is
eloquently amplified by the establishment of the Progressive Governors Forum as
a think tank policy institution of the APC. Beyond politics, the PGF is primarily
concerned with the facilitation of better governance processes through the
generation of ideas,articulation of development briefs and mainstreaming of policy
recommendations into the working apparatus of government.
Consistent with our commitment to engender ideas driven leadership and
participatory governance, APC Governors have held three Progressive
Governance Lecture Series.As you may recall, the first Progressive Governance
th
Lecture was held on the 24 of February,2014 in Ibadan,Oyo State with the theme
“Unemployment and the Crisis of Governance in Nigeria: The Way
Forward”.The second Progressive Governance Lecture was held in Kano,Kano
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3
th
State on 12 May, 2014 with the theme “Crisis in the Education Sector:
Addressing the Connect between Unemployment and Insecurity”.The
third Governance Lecture was held in Owerri,Imo State on September 1,2014.It
was focused on the health sector under the theme “Dealing with the
Challenge of Building a Physically Healthy Nation through Preventive,
Protective and Innovative Medicare”.
The three Progressive Governance Lecture Series were followed up by Policy
th
Design Sessions.The first Policy Design Session was held on 18 March, 2014 in
Abeokuta,Ogun State.The second Policy Design Session was held on July 15,2014
in Port Harcourt, Rivers State while the last Policy Design Session was held on
November 4,2014 in Sokoto;Sokoto State.The Policy Design Sessions provided a
veritable platform for field experts,technocrats and policy drivers at state level to
discuss extensively on the proceedings of the Governance Lectures and come up
with finer policy recommendations. The outcome of the three Policy Design
Sessions is what we are presenting today as PGF Consolidated Policy Briefs. Our
expectation is that progressive states and even PDP states who want to move
forward will adopt the whole, or a part of these briefs as is relevant to prevailing
circumstances in their states.
As has been aptly themed –“March for a New Nigeria”,there is no doubt that this
event resonates with the mood of the entire country.The 2015 general election
will mark a series of firsts in the modern annals of Nigeria. For the first time, a
national party that was the product of merger of different political parties will be
contesting for elective positions at both federal and state levels.For the first time
in our political history, the ruling party, weeks to elections, has assumed the
position of an opposition political party. Curiously, the People Democratic Party
(PDP) has become the main opposition party in a very absurd manner - opposing
every move for the conduct of free,fair,peaceful and credible elections.My fellow
compatriots,for the first time in our motherland,the wind of change is poised to
sweep out an anti-people ruling party and usher in a pro-Nigerian people party
poised to work for the emergence of a New Nigeria.This is March! Our date with
destiny was only postponed, it can never be denied. On March 28, 2015, by the
grace of GodAlmighty and the votes of the Nigerian people,we will march General
Muhammadu Buhari into the precincts of theAso Rock PresidentialVilla!
We are confident of new beginnings that destiny holds in view for Nigeria.We are
confident because we are prepared to take over political power from a string of

PDP governments that have failed in the past 16 years to address daunting crisis of
corruption,poverty,unemployment,insecurity and decaying public infrastructure.
We are confident because majority of Nigerians are poised to entrust APC with
their mandate.At the risk of sounding immodest, I must say that the excellent
performance of APC State Governors boldly underlines our commitment to
bequeath to Nigerians born and unborn a legacy of good governance.TheAPC has
never taken for granted the role of our dear compatriots in making a new Nigeria
happen sooner than later.Unlike those who only come to you on election eve,APC
Governors have shared in your pains, labored with you in your struggles and
continuously sought your opinion on how best we can collectively steer the ship of
our nation to the Promised Land.
It was not by accident that the first three PGF Progressive Governance Lecture
Series dealt with issues of unemployment, education and health. As a social
democratic party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) believes that these three
governance concerns are not only crucial to national development but are the
pillars for a people-centric government and therefore sine qua non to the
evolution of a truly democratic modern nation state. Given very robust and
practical recommendations made in the policy briefs, we are confident that we
have outlined policy recommendations that will assist our party keep its covenant
with Nigerians.We must, however, point out that recommendations made in the
Policy Briefs are not cast in stone.Our Policy Briefs are living documents.They will
continue to be subjected and adapted to the best wishes and aspirations of the
generality of Nigerians whom we seek to serve.
In conclusion,it is not lost on us that having a well thought out Policy Brief does not
instantly translate to sustainable development. Sustainable development can only
be harnessed in an ecosystem of good governance and deepening of the
democratic culture.Our promise to Nigerians is thatAPC government at all levels
will show unflinching commitment to security of lives, the rule of law, property
rights,freedom of speech and the media,freedom of worship,open political choice,
access to justice, and responsive, responsible, effective and efficient public
institutions.We will roll back years of physical,economic and social insecurity.We
will put an end to the days of“justice only for the rich and powerful”.We will not
zip our lips when government officials and their spouses corrupt the sensibilities of
our young ones with the use of the most ill-mannered, violent, provocative and
despicable slurs.We will not lay supine and watch our jobless youths scammed and
stampeded to untimely graves all in the name of job hunting.We will not indulge in
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clueless expedition in empty glossaries when our common patrimony is frittered
away in the most callous and unconscionable manner. An APC Federal
Government will simply halt the slide and put in motion the advancement of - A
New Nigeria! As our dear country marches to an epochal moment at the ballot
boxes come March 28 and April 11, 2015, we solemnly enjoin you to keep those
dates with us.Nigeria will flourish again!
Thank you! God bless you!
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PGF POLICY
DOCUMENT
(Policy Outcome of Progressive Governance Lecture Series)
PROGRESSIVE
GOVERNORS
FORUM
6

Foreword –
It is fulfilling that the Progressive Governors Forum which was established about a
year ago has blossomed into a respectable Governance Think Tank and Policy
Development Institution.The Progressive Governors Forum Secretariat has been
able to organize a number of epochal activities geared towards amplifying the
commitment of APC Governors to charting a new paradigm of accountable and
progressive governance in Nigeria.
In the past one year, the Progressive Governors Forum through its Governance
Programme has been able to organize three Progressive Governance Lecture
Series (PGLS).The 1st PGLS was hosted by the Oyo State Government in Ibadan
on February 24,2014.The 2nd PGLS was hosted by the Kano State Government in
Kano on May 12, 2014. The most recent PGLS was hosted by the Imo State
Government in Owerri on September 1, 2014. Each PGLS was subsequently
followed up by a Policy Design Session (PDS) in Abeokuta, Port Harcourt and
Sokoto.Ogun,Rivers and Sokoto State Governments hosted the successive PDS.
The Consolidated Policy Brief of the Progressive Governors Forum is an excellent
documentation of the robust intellectual engagement with policy drivers at state
level and expert technocrats at afore-mentioned Policy Design Sessions.The crux
of the policy design sessions was to address core developmental challenges
presented at the PGLS and to articulate commensurate innovative responses.
I and my colleague Governors are optimistic that the policy recommendations
contained in this publication will go a long way in achieving our collective passion
for accelerated development and improvement in the lives of Nigerian citizens.
Owelle RochasAnayo OKOROCHA
Governor,Imo State and Chairman,PGF
January,2015
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Acknowledgment:
The Secretariat of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) wishes to appreciate
the sterling contributions of APC Governors to the success of the PGF activities
particularly the Governance Programme.The success of the three Progressive
Governance Lecture Series (PGLS) and the successor Policy Design Session (PDS)
which has culminated in the development of this Policy Brief was as a result of the
uncommon commitment ofAPC Governors to sustainable development.
We also want to acknowledge the unstinting commitment of Policy Drivers inAPC
states particularly APC Commissioners of Economic Development and Planning,
Education and Health and their team for enriching our Policy Design Sessions with
their competences.To our resource persons – Dr.Ayo Teriba, Dr.Abdu Husseini,
Dr. Modupe Olateju, Dr. Jibo Ibrahim, Prof. Ifeoma Joy Okoye, Prof. Oyewale
Tomori,Dr.YewandeAdeshina,Dr.Sam Ibeneme,Dr.Anas Sabir,Mr.AminuYakubu
and their staff,we say“thank you for a great partnership”.
Furthermore, we wish to commend members of PGF Governance Programme
Steering Committee – Professor Okey Onyejekwe,Ambassador Fatima Bala, Dr.
Usman Bugaje, Mr.Wale Ajadi and Mr. Innocent Chukwuma - for their sense of
dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the work that we do in PGF.
Finally,it is only worthy to appreciate the efforts of the entire members of staff of
PGF Secretariat especially the Governance Programme team – Mr. Egghead
Odewale (Director – Planning and Strategy),Mr.Salisu Suleiman (Head,Media and
Communications),ComradeAsuzu Echezona (TechnicalAdviser,Governance) and
Ms.MaryamAbubakar (TechnicalAssistant,Governance) for their editorial efforts
towards the development and packaging of this report.
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Executive Summary
In pursuit of the organizational mandate of the Progressive Governors Forum,
three Progressive Governance Lecture Series were held in 2014.The Lectures
were followed by Policy Design Sessions. The PGF Policy Design Sessions are
aimed at developing concrete Policy Recommendations as a way of addressing
challenges identified during the Progressive Governance Lecture Series.
So far, three sets of Policy Recommendations have emerged from Policy Design
st
Sessions organized by PGF. The 1 Policy Session, held on March 14, 2014, in
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Abeokuta, Ogun State, addressed the issue of Unemployment. The 2 Policy
Session was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on June 14, 2014. It addressed
challenges in Nigeria's education sector and linkages to unemployment and
rd
insecurity.The 3 Policy Session took place in Sokoto,Sokoto State on November
4,2014 with focus on challenges in Nigeria's health sector.
During engagement with policy drivers from APC States and a consortium of
development experts who facilitated the different Policy Design Sessions, a
number of cross cutting challenges emerged.One is the dearth of political will to
deal with intractable issues bedevilling Nigeria's social services sector.Another is
the challenge of poor governance especially as exemplified in resource mis-
management.The last major cross cutting issue identified during Policy Sessions
was poor ownership of government policies by different strata of stakeholders and
the general citizenry.
It is our expectation that this Policy Brief will be useful in forging effective
responses to the challenge of improving the quality of governance and
commensurately the standard of living, generally in Nigeria and particularly in all
the APC States. It is also hoped that Policy Recommendations contained herein
will rub off on the campaign manifestoes of APC candidates and general
governance directives in Nigeria.
Salihu Moh.Lukman
Director General
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Foreword..............................................................................................................................2
Acknowledgment................................................................................................................3
Executive Summary.............................................................................................................4
Policy Recommendations on Unemployment..............................................................6
Policy Recommendations on Education......................................................................13
Policy Recommendations on Health............................................................................20
Appendix............................................................................................................................27
- List of Participants
CONTENTS
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Policy Recommendation on
Unemployment:
Policy Brief
March, 2014
“Unemployment and the Crisis of
Governance in Nigeria:The Way
Forward”.
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BACKGROUND
Concerned about the escalating unemployment situation in Nigeria, Progressive
Governors approved a course of action by PGF to work with experts and develop
policies to tackle the problem. Consequently, a lecture was held on February 24,
2014 at Ibadan Civic Centre,Oyo State with the theme,“Unemployment and the
Crisis of Governance in Nigeria:TheWay Forward”.
As a follow-up to the lecture, a Policy Expert Design Panel (PEDP) was set up to
harvest the views of policy drivers at state level on practical steps to tackling
unemployment in APC states and the country in general.The PEDP held its first
session on March 17-18,2014 inAbeokuta,Ogun State.At the end of sessions,the
PEDP identified the following contexts for the crisis of unemployment and
governance and agreed on several key policy recommendations:
A. Nigeria's Unemployment and Governance Crisis in Context:
1. From 8% in 1999, Nigeria's unemployment rate increased to an annual
average of 13.3% in 2000 to 2008,and then increased again after the global
crisis to an annual average of 21.66% in 2009,to peak at 23.9% by 2011.The
2012 and 2013 figures were yet to be released as of March,2014.
2. Unemployment is escalating in the face of high growth due to three reasons:
(1)The growth character is 'jobless' (2) Existing jobs are being destroyed in
the face of growth (3) Escalation in other “non-economic” variables
associated with unemployment.
3. Elected officials have been unable to translate growth to increased
employment, largely because they have left the task of budgeting, fiscal and
monetary policy management in the hands of appointees who have
inadvertently made policy choices that have weakened growth,constrained
domestic demand,and worsened unemployment rate.
4. The structure of Nigeria's growth is commodity based,rent-seeking,fragile,
non-competitive, poorly industrialized, regionally and sectorally
concentrated. 90% of economic activity and growth come from 3 or 4
sectors (oil,crops,trading,and real estate).The remaining 29 or 30 sectors
account for only 10 - 20% of economic growth and activity - telecoms,
manufacturing,banking,insurance,construction etc.
5. Nigeria's growth has weak linkages. The sectoral structure of Nigeria's
nominal GDP in 2012 in which oil contributed 37%; agriculture, 33%;
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services, 28%; but manufacturing contributed only 2% underscores the
urgent sectoral linkage problem that Nigeria must address. Strong
backward and forward linkages from high growth sectors to other sectors
are required for Nigeria's growth to be more inclusive and therefore more
employment-intensive.
B. Causes and Dynamics of Unemployment in Nigeria
Some of the key issues behind the surge in unemployment include:
1. Job Destruction and poor macroeconomic management; Currently in
Nigeria, job destruction in the range of 1.5 million to 3.3 million jobs per
year since 2008 is very alarming.23.9 per cent unemployment rate in 2011
in the face of average annual real GDP growth of 6.5 percent is something
that calls for urgent policy actions.
2. Fiscal Tightening and Constraints in real Activities: Huge first line
deductions from the federation account have ensured a decline in net
revenue available for distribution to the three tiers of government.This has
placed a huge constraint on public spending, especially for job creation, at
different tiers of government. Net revenue available to the three tiers of
government has declined from 23.3 percent of GDP in 2004 to 16 percent
of GDP by 2012.
3. Arbitrary Oil Benchmarking and Savings Management:The arbitrary
manner in which oil benchmark is set and savings accruing from the
benchmark is managedcreates problems for Nigeria's fiscal situation:
arbitrary selection of some historical average oil price (heavily focused on
the past) as benchmark has made government's net revenue to decline
steadily as a fraction of GDP,thus constraining employment.
4. Monetary Policy Constraints on RealActivity:Our monetary policy has
been largely about fiscal stance and liquidity of banks to the exclusion of the
dynamics of real output growth, employment, consumer spending,
household sector balance sheet, business spending and corporate sector
balance sheet,which should determine monetary policy.
5. Population, Urbanization and Climate Change:Populations, climate
change and urbanization are major contributors to unemployment that our
economic managers are not taking seriously.With a growth rate of about
2.5%, Nigeria has a youth population structure and could remain so for
another 30 years or more.Only about 36% of the population is urbanized.
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6. Poor Economic Governance: Development practitioners and growth
economists, as diverse as they are, believe that there is a huge relationship
between governance and inclusive economic growth. Governance has
therefore become the single most important issue in economic
management.
7. Poor Infrastructural Development:Nigeria continues to battle with huge
deficits in infrastructural development especially in the power,
communication and transport sector: with 170 million people, Nigeria
generates less than 3000 megawatts.
8. Institutional Failure:The increasing energy crisis,poor industrial interest
and failure of different states institutions including the governance structure
has been a major cause of unemployment and economic decline. The
legislature is not asking the right questions andrelevant state institutions are
failing in their responsibilities.
C. Policy Response to Nigeria's Unemployment and Governance
Crisis:
From the foregoing,two major Policy Responses are recommended at Federal and
State levels;
i) Engaging the Federal Government:
1. State governments need to engage the Federal government on
macroeconomic policies that have continued to create unemployment and
job losses.Specifically on this,there is need to work with the legislature to
strengthen constitutional provisions to make the meetingsof the National
Economic Council more periodic and predictable and its decisions more
binding.
2. The Office of the President should be made to present an annual report on
the state of the economy to the NationalAssembly and the Nigerian People.
3. The Preparation of Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and
annual Budget should be guided by job creation projections. Reduction of
Recurrent Expenditure in favour of Capital Expenditure,to a ratio of 50:50
for a start,will be useful in this regard.
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4. The Progressive Governors and members of the National Assembly need
to demand for a rule-based oil revenue management process, and adopt a
rule based excess crude account management process.This will entail a
fixed percentage (e.g. 10% or 20%) of oil revenue each year, and also set
clear rules about where the proceeds will be domiciled, when the savings
can be used,by whom,and what the savings can be used for.
5. Demand the development of strong economic data management system
and support for the NBS. Late data readings create problems for those
willing to monitor and manage the unemployment ssituation in Nigeria.For
instance,figures for 2011 became available in the middle of 2013,figures for
2012 are not out yet in February 2014,and figures for 2013 are not likely to
be out until mid-2015. Serious efforts to tackle unemployment must start
with a shortening of the time lag from occurrence to readings.
6. PGF should demand for the re-structuring of Nigeria's economy in such a
manner that stimulates real growth in other sectors. This can be done
through improvement in backward and forward linkages especially through
a robust commitment to infrastructural development in rail system,
communications and the power sector.
7. Under monetary policy, unemployment rate should be a critical factor for
interest rates
8. The National Assembly and the Federal Executive should work towards
adopting a rule based,realistic and predictable oil benchmark as a basis for a
more transparent management of federation account revenue and excess
crude account
9. The current Pension Scheme should be reviewed to make funds therefrom
available for some form of insurance and unemployment benefits for the
jobless.
10.Invigorate existing cooperatives in various sectors and encourage new ones
as they act as effective ways of government- citizen engagement
11.The CorporateAffairs Commission should be decentralized to ensure that
state level agencies are able to help various informal sector businesses
formalize,obtain access to credit,grow,employ and even pay taxes.
ii) State Specific Policy Recommendations:
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1. Need for legislation to back up various state development initiatives and
employment programmes for continuity and sustainability. An Act to
guarantee up to 100 days of job at minimum wage for every unemployed is
important (details to be developed to guide implementation).
2. State Governments should invest in the generation of baseline data that
captures peculiar state job demographics.This can be done through the
strengthening of States Bureau of Statistics and Departments of Research,
Planning and Economic Development
3. State Governments should carry citizens along in policy formulation to
engender policy public ownership of government initiatives and
programmes especially on job creation
4. States should address challenges of skills mismatch - skills not meeting the
21st century labour market. Even less skilled sectors have problems – for
instance, inadequate strong artisan labour in the construction industry in
Nigeria has led to huge dependence on expatriate skilled workers from
other countries ofWestAfrica.
5. State Governments need to identify, engage and empower citizens in the
informal sector and or those who are engaged in different artisanal
occupations.Three approaches should guide this engagement:Recognition,
Reward and Protection of artisanal jobs.
6. State Governments should pay more attention to social security benefits
for the vulnerable especially the aged,disabled and the unemployed.
7. As a stop gap measure to unemployment, State Governments should
prioritize provision of direct jobs in quick-win sectors.
8. State Governments should,where possible,establish regional cooperation
in areas of comparative advantages. Synergy among relevant MDAs would
be useful in this regard.
9. States should develop effective need mapping and developmental plans,
which should be mainstreamed into a State Strategic Action Plan
Document. Infrastructural, agricultural and power generation initiatives
should be priority in such development plans.
10.State Governments should embark on extensive value sensitization
campaign aimed at re-orienting Nigerian youths on available
(entrepreneurial) opportunities and benefits of self-employment
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11.Prepare and respond to urbanization and climate change through
appropriate adaptation and mitigation actions
12.Award of contacts and consultancies at all levels must be determined by the
number of jobs competing firms would create, and states must institute
ways of ensuring compliance through project monitoring
13.Governments at all levels should promote ethical re-orientation by
institutionalizing good governance practices to show that hard and honest
work pays.
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Education:
Policy Brief
August, 2014
Crisis in Nigeria's Education
Sector:Addressing the
Connect between
Unemployment and
Insecurity
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1.Background
InApril 2014,the Progressive Governors' Forum organized a lecture on education
which was the second in a series of thought leadership events focusing on social
development.This lecture was aimed at addressing critical issues in the education
landscape, with particular emphasis on the relevance of education and the
undesirable disconnect between education, employment and security. Following
from the high-level policy imperatives that were established at the lecture,a policy
expert design session (PEDS) was convened in July 2014 aimed at supporting
policy makers at the state level to identify actionable priorities, which would
strengthen the ability of the education sector to improve the relevance and
effectiveness of education.
2.Executive Summary
The two education-sector events organized by the PGF highlight three
interrelated areas of challenge which should be addressed expediently.First is the
reality that a large number of school age children have never attended school or
have dropped out.The second is that children who make it to school, on average
learn little. The third is that policy-planning and public finance administration
systems are often weak and insufficiently accountable. In spite of these challenges,
there are examples of good practice observable across states.These practices
represent opportunities for greater learning and sharing at state level. For the
education sector in Nigeria to fulfill its mandate of preparing children for
sustainable livelihoods and productivity at the national and global level, the
planning,implementation and evaluation of education policies must be approached
via a short, medium and long-term view.This brief outlines actionable priorities
which if considered,can pragmatically address some of the challenges identified in
the sector.
3.Challenges in the education sector
a)A vast number of children are out of school
Nigeria currently accounts for a fifth of the estimated 60 million children out-of-
school (OOS) globally - 10.5 million Nigerian children are not enrolled in school.
Those that make it to school record relatively low primary completion rates,and
there are persistently high levels of pupil dropout at primary level. This situation
presents two serious concerns. First, given the well-established link between
years of education and economic productivity at the level of the individual and
society, it is safe to say that OOS children represent a vast share of potentially
valuable human resources whose educational trajectory will see them become
economically unproductive (or at best, minimally productive) in the future. The
second issue of concern is the risk of OOS children becoming disenfranchised,
radicalized and lured into illegal livelihoods, which again has socioeconomic
consequences for the society.
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b) Children in-school learn little
Recent senior school leaving examination results in Nigeria reveal disturbingly low
achievement levels.4 million pupils sat for the nationalWestAfrican Senior School
Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2009. Of these, only 26% obtained in one
sitting, the minimum number of credits (in Mathematics, English Language and at
least three other subjects) to gain consideration for entry into tertiary
institutions. In 2010,this figure sunk to 24.9% and in 2011,stood at 30%.The 2014
results indicate that only 31.3% of WASSCE candidates passed the examination.
These results highlight the perverse reality that outcomes expected from 12 years'
worth of education investment are not being met. This necessitates questions
about the relationship between education inputs (investments in the sector) and
education processes (what actually takes place in education ministries,
departments,agencies and how pedagogy is practiced in classrooms).
Fundamentally embedded in the issue of low achievement levels are concerns
about teachers, who constitute the most important school-level determinant of
learning. A set of recently conducted teacher development needs assessments
highlight the low levels of capacity that many practicing teachers have. In one state,
only 0.03% of teachers were fully competent to teach Mathematics and English
Language at primary level.Besides teacher quality,teacher shortages are rife,with
projected estimates suggesting that several thousands of additional teachers are
needed annually in order to realise Universal Basic Education targets. Given that
no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers, it is apparent that to position
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Nigeria for global leadership in the 21 century, radical approaches to
strengthening teacher competencies need be explored whilst concurrently
attracting the best and brightest minds into the profession.
c) Policy-planning and public finance systems are weak
For policies to be effectively implemented, they must be strategically planned.
Poorly planned policies have negative implications for sector efficiency, teaching
effectiveness and learning outcomes.The recently introduced senior secondary
education curriculum is a case in point.The implementation of this curriculum -
which prioritises entrepreneurship through the introduction of trade subjects - is
currently facing several challenges, with a real risk of failure to achieve its main
objective which is to equip students with skills that will enable them to become
gainfully employed.At the national level,planning the design and implementation of
this curriculum would have benefitted from a number of strategic measures. For
example,it would have been useful for teachers to have been trained in advance of
rollout, for budgetary provisions for resourcing to have been established, and for
sufficient consultation to have been carried out with teachers and the organized
private sector.
Secondly, whilst all stakeholders are in agreement that additional financial
investment is required in the education sector, it is apparent that public finance
administration (PFA) systems require strengthening so that funds released to the
20

sector are efficiently and effectively utilised. Embedded in any effective PFA system
is a sound monitoring and evaluation function which aids sector planning and
increases accountability within the system.
4.Good practices at state level
In spite of the various challenges that currently beleaguer the education sector,
there is evidence to show that examples of good practice are available in all states.
Several of these practices are highly innovative and offer opportunities for policy
learning, sharing and adaptation. Several examples of how states are engaging in
good practice in the education sector are highlighted below.
To provide access to out-of-school children whilst ensuring that those in school
persist,a number of initiatives are being carried in different states.These include:
·Introduction of free school meals to encourage children to attend and stay
in school
·Provision and improvement of infrastructure,as well as the introduction of
state-of-the-art facilities
·Introduction of sustainable model schools using a mix of public and private
funding
·Establishment of security services to ensure that children do not drop out
due to concerns about security
To address low learning levels,a number of initiatives are observed at state level:
·Strengthening of teacher recruitment systems and improvement in
incentives for rural teachers
·Introduction and utilisation of digital and e-learning technologies at
classroom level
·Adaptation of international best practice in establishment of model centres
for early childhood care and development education (ECCDE)
·Increased engagement with the private sector and civil society
organisations to strengthen the implementation of vocational and technical
education curricula
To address challenges of weak policy planning and public finance administration,a
number of good practices are observable in various states:
·Development and utilization of strategic plans for the education sector
·Engagement with other states for the purpose of policy learning,with states
adapting good practices from other states
·Strengthening of interaction between policymakers, and parents, teachers
and students
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·Strengthening of evidence-based planning through improved Education
Management Information Systems (EMIS)
·Prioritisation of legacy and policy continuity in the sector
These progressive practices can be further strengthened by well-designed public-
private partnerships (PPPs).Such partnerships between the government and non-
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state sector are needed to ensure that 21 Century teaching, learning and
administrative models are introduced and sustained. Some of the most effective
PPPs involve strategic and seamless policy design and implementation which
persist beyond political incumbency. Such partnerships should therefore not be
politicized. Corporations,international development partners,non-governmental
organisations,communities and parents remain valuable resources that need to be
harnessed and partnered.
5.Actionable priorities
In order to consolidate Nigeria's position as the largest economy in Africa, it
important that its human capacity is properly harnessed. Education is universally
considered as an important driver of sustainable livelihoods and national
development. It is therefore critical that adequate attention be paid to developing,
implementing and evaluating the short,medium and long-term goals of the sector.
Discussions at the PGF Lecture and the subsequent PEDS suggest that the
following actionable priorities can pragmatically address challenges faced by the
ailing education sector and bring about a re-alignment with the country's
development agenda:
·Establish or strengthen of school feeding programmes in states with high
percentages of out-of-school children
·Strengthen and expand Early Childhood CareAnd Development Education
in all states
·Strengthen community participation in school management through
mechanisms such as School Based Management Committees (SBMCs)
·Create opportunities for focused public-private discourse on strengthening
content and quality of learning at basic and post-basic education levels
·Empirically determine the economic value of education as a rationale for
discourse on increased education investment
·Establish centres of excellence for Science Technology Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) Education to fast-track Nigeria's contribution to
knowledge products in a digital age
·Establish teacher communities of practice at school level whilst attracting
the best and brightest into teaching
·Continue to leverage digital technologies for education quality and access
•Institute formal mechanisms for policy learning and best practice sharing
amongst states
22

Health:
Policy Brief
November, 2014
“DEALING WITHTHE
CHALLENGE OF BUILDING
A PHYSICALLY HEALTHY
NATIONTHROUGH
PREVENTIVE, PROTECTIVE
AND INNOVATIVE
MEDICARE”
23

BACKGROUND
Concerned with the poor health situation in Nigeria,All Progressive Congress
(APC) under the auspices of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) approved a
course of action to work with experts to develop policies to tackle challenges in
Nigeria's healthcare system. Consequently, a lecture was held on September 1,
2014 in the Banquet Hall of the Imo State Government House, Owerri on the
theme, “DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGE OF BUILDING A
PHYSICALLY HEALTHY NATION THROUGH PREVENTIVE,
PROTECTIVEAND INNOVATIVE MEDICARE”.
As a follow-up to the lecture,a Policy Design Session (PDS) was set up to harvest
the views of policy drivers at state level on practical steps to tackling identified
health issues in APC states and the country in general. The PDS was held on
November 4,2014 at Giginya Hotel,Sokoto,Sokoto State.At the end of sessions,
the session identified the following contexts for the crisis in Nigeria's health sector
and agreed on relevant key policy recommendations:
I. LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE
Challenges:
a. Lack of Political Will
b. Poor framework for sustainable health Policies
Recommendations:
a) Governors and relevant policy implementers should have a health
sector retreat on assumption of office to understand policies on
health and mechanisms of implementation.This will also help foster a
buy-in into the developmental agenda by relevant stakeholders,thus
making implementation of health policies collective and seamless.
b) All States should allocate 15% of their budget to Health to match the
international recommendations.
c) Governments at all levels must not politicize issues of health
d) A disciplined governance system that ensures implementation of
nationally agreed legislations/policies/guidelines
e) The following leadership and governance principles/commitments
should be considered:
24

- Development and support for implementation of policy and strategy that
promotes UHC using PHC as the basis
- Commitment to peer review of the performance of state health systems
f) To mandate specific social services,especially in health and education,
as part of the Local Government Elections Manifesto.
g) To redefine free health services as only preventive health care
services
h) States to implement policy on monitoring and evaluation(M&E) of
programs and projects
i) Implement public service reform and mission driven public service
j) Appointment into high end positions in the health sector should
be based on relevant qualification and experienced experts in
healthcare delivery system
k) Key Stakeholders should be part of policy formation and review at
every level.
II. HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY
Challenges:
a. Unavailability of Essential Medicines
b. Focusing on Curative than Preventive Health Care
c. Lack of Quality Assurance System
d. Unavailability of Essential Local medicine
Recommendations:
a) States must establish a functional Primary Healthcare Board/Agency with
primary healthcare under one roof
b) 30% of the Capital Budget of the Ministry of Health should be earmarked for
the upgrading of the health facilities management,infrastructural upgrade,
equipment servicing and replacement at the health facilities
c) The State Drug Revolving Fund should be made functional and the
Supervising Directorate or Agency should be clearly indicated, including
their terms of reference.
25

d) Processes to standardize, procurement and distribution of drugs to health
facilities.
e) Implement MinimumWard Healthcare Package in each PHC facility.
f) Give priority to primary healthcare components of the service delivery in
PHCs through implementation of LGA PHC strategic development plan.
g) Essential institution of measurable Quality Assurance System using a
functional Monitoring and Evaluation System
h) Foster development and implementation of policy to encourage adoption
of traditional/alternative medicine in the health service delivery system
i) Resuscitate and foster good environment health and hygiene through the
work of environmental health workers
j) Strengthen locally appropriate community health systems to foster uptake
of KHHP
k) Revitalize the PHC by strengthening the PHC development Agency
l) Use of ICT/Technology to reach healthcare service providers in real time
by consumers through mobile health consult on mobile phones
m) Screening for NCDs at regular intervals
n) Funnel traditional healers and faith-based organizations into the formal
health sector arena for easy supervision and wider reach viz Lagos
model
o) Establish drug revolving scheme with particular focus on making available
special drugs in rural areas for emergency health crisis
p) States should adopt and implement Clinical Governance
q) Reward system for hard work to motivate others
r) Implement full compliments of PHC focusing on the core principles
III. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH
Challenges:
a. PoorVolunteer System
b. Poor Manpower Development
c. Inequality of Human Resources for Health especially in rural areas
26

d. Poor Skills Mix
e. Mal-Distribution for Healthcare Workers (HCWs)
Recommendations:
a) Develop a comprehensive human resource for health policy
b) EncourageVolunteerism at all levels of the Healthcare System especially by
engaging volunteers as public health educators in the rural areas
c) Periodic review of the curriculum for medical schools,at least every 3 years
is recommended in order to meet up and match the international growth in
medicine.
d) Encouraging the concept of task shifting and task sharing at all levels of
service provision - clinical and administrative.
e) Improve the training capacity of schools of health technology and health
institutions in the states
f) Incentivize the training of locals and bond them to work at their places of
origin on graduation
g) Training and retraining of existing health care workers
h) Strong regulation and capacity building schemes to promote task shifting
i) Institutionalize incentives for mandatory rural posting for health care
workers
j) Ensure curriculum for training of lower cadre HCWs keeps pace with latest
evidence of best practice
IV. FINANCING FOR HEALTH
Challenges:
a. Non Sustainable Healthcare Financing Mechanisms
b. Coordinated Funds of 3 tiers of government
c. Limited Universal Health Population Coverage with inappropriate
risk pooling schemes
27

Recommendations:
a) Suitable financing mechanism that is applicable to all citizens of Nigeria
should be instituted.
b) Review of the current financing mechanism to identify the multi-factorial
and multi-sectoral challenges causing the gaps leading to inequities and lack
of access and health coverage.
c) States to pass legislations to promote mandatory health insurance
d) States to commit to progressively achieve allocation of 15% of TGE to
Health
e) States to develop and implement a comprehensive health care financing
policy and strategy
f) Institutionalize health safety nets for the poor and vulnerable including the
aged using mix of government revenue and innovative health care financing
(VAT,mobile phone,interests on unclaimed dividends etc)
V. HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM
Challenge:
a. Data Management
Recommendation:
a) Foster utilization of digital technology including appropriate application
of m-health to improve access to real-time data
b) Implement bottle neck analysis - UNICEF
c) Establish M&E units in all health organization and train staff
VI. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Challenges:
a) Poor Community Mobilization
b) Poor Environmental Reform
c) Cultural-religious Barriers
Recommendation:
a) Facilitate and support community systems to promote ownership of
28

health development in their settings
b) Implement ward health system and Minimum Health Care Package
–MPHCDA
c) Scale up training and employment ofVHW/TBAs as community based
workers/volunteers- MDG,Tship
VII. PARTNERSHIP
Challenges:
a. Infrastructural upgrade challenges
b. Weak inter-sectoral collaboration
Recommendation:
Develop and implement health policy for sustainable public private participation
and improve on inter-sectoral collaboration
VIII. RESEARCH FOR HEALTH
Challenges:
a. Poor Health Surveillance
Recommendation:
a) Operation research
b) Clinical research
c) Service Delivery/M&E;
d) Implement PHC review methodology- NPHCDA
29

Appendix
30

1. Hon. Mrs. Ijezie Adaora - Imo State Commissioner for Planning and
Economic Development
2. Hon. Bode Ogunleye - Commissioner for Planning and Economic
Development,Kwara State
3. Mr.Adeosun David - Senior Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor on
Budget and Economic Planning
4. Mrs.Aluko Iyabowale - SpecialAssistant on Economic Planning Bureau
5. Hon.Oluwande Muoyo - Commissioner for Budget and Planning
6. Mr.Akinsanya Seun - Director,Economic Planning,Lagos State
7. Njoku John O.– Director of Planning Imo State
8. OlatunbosunYetunde – Director of Planning Ogun State
9. Ambassdor Fati Balla Abubakar – Nigeria's former Ambassador to
Botswana
10. Prof.Okey Onyejekwe – MD,Sustainable Governance,AddisAbaba
11. Dr.AyoTeriba – CEO EconomicAssociates,Lagos
12. Dr.HusseiniAbdu – Country Director,ActionAid,Abuja
13. Mr.Innocent Chukwuma – Country Director,Ford Foundation,Lagos
14. Mr.Lukman Salihu – Director – General,Progressive Governors Forum
15. Ms.Nancy Onoh – Director,Strategy and Planning,PGF
16. Mr.Salisu Suleiman – Communication Officer,PGF
17. Mr.Asuzu Echezona –TechnicalAdviser,Governance,PGF
18. Ms.MaryamAbubakar –TechnicalAssistance,Governance,PGF
ST
ATTENDANCE AT 1 POLICY DESIGN SESSION:
31

1. HE PRINCE EZE MADUMERE – Imo State Deputy Governor
2. Mr. GEORGE FEYI – SSG, Rivers State
3. WASHINGTON OSA OSIFO- EDO STATE COMMISSIONER
4. TAJUDEEN GAMBO- KANO STATE COMMISSIONER
5. PROF. OLANIYONU SOA- OYO STATE COMMISIONER
6. JOHN OLUSEGUN ODUBELA – OGUN STATE COMMISSIONER
7. OLUSOLA OTESILE – OGUN STATE SA
8. DR MRS UCHE EJIOGU – IMOS STATE COMMISSIONER
9. BARR. SANIYAKUBU HAUWA – NASARAWA STATE COMM
10. JIBRIN DAN OGAJI – DPRS- NASARAWA STATE
11. ALICE LAWRENCE NEMI – RIVERS STATE COMM.
12. MINABELEM MICHAEL WEST – RIVERS STATE PERM SEC.
13. AMASA .O.ABDULSALAM – KWARA STATE DPRS
14. KAYODE OGUNYEMI – EKITI STATE DPRS
15. ABDULKADIR HAMZA-YOBE STATE DPRS
16. SALIHU MUHD. DOGONDAJI – SOKOTO STATE DIS
17. EVANG OGBUGO EMMANUEL – RIVERS STATE DIRECTOR
18. MRS. MAE. SOLOMON – RIVERS STATE DIRECTOR
19. WIGWE STELLA – RIVERS STATE DIRECTOR
20. OKPARA OLU CHUKS – RIVERS STATE DIRECTOR
21. MEKELE N.J.A – RIVERS STATE DIRECTOR
22. Nneka Eze – Project Consultant
23. MODUPE ADEFESO-OLATEJU – MD (TEP CENTRE)
24. UTIBE HENSHAW- TEP CENTRE AST. (TEP CENTRE)
25. ADEWALE AJADI – PGF STEERING COMMITTEE
26. AMB. FATI BALLA – PGF STEERING COMMITTEE
27. SALIHU LUKMAN- DG PROGRESSIVE GOVERNORS FORUM
28. SALISU SULEIMAN – COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER PROGRESSIVE
GOVERNORS FORUM
29. ECHEZONA ASUZU – TECHNICAL ADVISER, GOVERNANCE PROGRAM,
PGF
30. OLANREWAJU AKANDE – ADMIN OFFICER- PROGRESSIVE GOVERNORS
FORUM
31. MARYAM ABUBAKAR- TECHNICAL AST. GOVERNANCE PROGRAM, PGF
32. SAEED HUSSEIN-VOLUNTEER PGF
ND
ATTENDANCE LIST FOR 2 POLICY DESIGN SESSION
32

rd
Attendance at 3 Policy Design Session:
SN NAME DESIGNATION PHONE
NUMBER
EMAIL
1 Dr. Sam Ibeneme Consultant/Senior
Lecturer
07038138435 sam.ibeneme@unn.edu.ng
2 Abdulrasheed Munir Ministry of Health
Sokoto
080655995704
3 Amb. Fatima Balla Governance Steering
Committee Member,
PGF
08033092009 fballa3@yahoo.com
4 Ibrahim M. Iya PRO Sokoto MOH 07034796754
5 Dr. Kalada Dick
Iruenabere
Rep. Rivers State
Com.
08033113402 drkalada@yahoo.co.uk
6 Dr. Edward O.
Ihejirika
Hon. Commissioner
for Health, Imo State
08037241437 edinej@gmail.com
7 Bello A. Bello TA-PHC/HMDG
SPHCDA Sokoto
08035185471 babgidadawa@yahoo.com
8 G.M. Maishanu DCOD/TSHIP 08035928769 amaishanu@tshipnigeria.org
9 Dr. HabibYalwa Dir. Publ ic Health 08105009888 hyalwa@yahoo.com
10 Dr. M.S. Labaran Executive Secretary,
SPHCDA Sokoto
08035072940 drmslabaran@gmail.com
11 Dr. Maichede
Danmalan
DCHS SPHCDA,
Sokoto
08032264321 dmaichede@gmail.com
12 Dr.A.A Sabir Rep of CMD UDTH 08038065163 amsabir@yahoo.com
13 Dr. M. Lawan Gana DPHYobe State 08069555209 mlsg74@yahoo.com
14 M.K. Janyau Hon. Commissioner
for Health, Zamfara
State
08082666692 mkjanyau.mkj@gmail.com
15 Dr.Yewande
Adeshina
Lagos State Min. of
Health
08055329229 yadeshina1@gmail.com
16 Maryam Oladipupo Lagos State Min. of
Health
08082083781 maryam.oladipupo@gmail.com
17 Oyinlofe Shola Lagos State Min. of
Health
08007238126
18 Dadi Adare Sokoto State, MOH 08036283313 dadiasa@yahoo.com
19 Abdullahi Sadik Sokoto State MOH 08036991292
20 Hadiza Galadima Sokoto State MOH 08065692252 hadeezat4real@gmail.com
21 Shehu Tureta Sokoto State MOH 08036251303 shehutureta07@yahoo.com
22 Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu Hon. Commissioner
for Health, Sokoto
State
08032893195 aa_sokoto@yahoo.com
23 Dr. Buhari B.K MOH Sokoto 08035074731 bbkwore@yahoo.com
24 Alhaji Malami Ladan Sokoto 08065961088 malamiladan1964@gmail.com
25 Dr.Yakubu Ahmed CMD Nasarawa State 08037015339 yakubuaa@yahoo.co.uk
27 Dr. Ibrahim A.A. MOH Nasarawa 08036018579 ibrahima57@yahoo.com
28 Mr.AminuYakubu Federal Min. of
Health
08065479926 yaminads@yahoo.com
29 Professor Okey
Onyejekwe
Governance Steering
Committee Member,
PGF
08024395565 oonyejekwe@yahoo.com
30 Mr.Wale Ajadi Governance Steering
Committee Member,
PGF
08122923456 omoluwabi@gmail.com
31 Egghead Odewale Director, Planning
and Strategy, PGF
08032887664 ehimofe@gmail.com
32 Asuzu Echezona Technical Adviser,
Governance, PGF
08035638962 e.asuzu@pgfnigeria.org
33 Maryam Abubakar Technical Assistant,
Governance, PGF
08033002191 maryam@pgfnigeria.org
34 Lanre Akande Head,Admin and
Accounts
08057622589 lanreakande1996@yahoo.com
33

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