Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
The Federal Government has resolved that henceforth sanctions will be strictly applied on any government official or agency that contravenes the laws of the country or disobeys court orders.
The Federal Government has resolved that henceforth sanctions will be strictly applied on any government official or agency that contravenes the laws of the country or disobeys court orders.
This is one of the key resolutions of the three-day retreat convened by President Umaru Yar'Adua to deepen the understanding of top government functionaries of his vision and mission for Nigeria's governance and development, which ended in Abuja at the weekend.
Stressing that respect for the rule of law was vital to progress and national development, it warned that never again would there be brazen disobedience to court orders, which was the hallmark of the last administration in the country.
To ensure there are no lapses in this regard, it resolved to strengthen certain national institutions as a way of encouraging respect for the rule of law.
The retreat equally underlined the need for the revamping, reorganising and funding of an effective and decent police as well as providing the judiciary with the necessary facilities to perform its duties effectively and efficiently.
For the anti-corruption and value re-orientation campaign to succeed, it endorsed the revival of the tradition of projecting and celebrating national role models and the diligent enforcement of the code of conduct for public officers as enshrined in the constitution and the entrenchment of religious and cultural norms and values in school curricula.
Other major decisions of the participants, comprising ministers, specials advisers, permanent secretaries and other senior presidential aides include, to ensure budget discipline and timely release of fund to avoid overspending or project abandonment and targeting a 13 per cent economic growth rate with a stable and predictable macro-economic environment.
Other major decisions taken are:
• Emphasising human capital development as a priority through the twin -engine of education and health.
• Developing major commercial industrial centres and mega cities, such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, etc, given their potentials as catalysts for the country's enhanced industrial development.
• Attracting, through aggressive diplomacy, the necessary foreign direct investment for the industrialisation of the country, and
• Sensitising the public that security and stability should be the collective responsibility of all citizens and interest groups, not only that of the security agencies.
The Niger Delta problems were not left out as the session acknowledged the enormous development and security challenges facing the country in the region and expressed support for government's commitment to address the various challenges.