The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) will today hold a graduation programme for 78 participants of its 2020 Senior Executive Course 42 in Kuru, Plateau state.
The various participants were selected from different professional backgrounds across the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to induct the graduates as Members of the National Institute (MNI) having completed one year high- level research course with the primary objective of developing a crop of top-class technocrats of high intellectual capacity, as well as conceptualize and anchor the implementation of innovative and dynamic policy initiatives and strategies critical for national development.
Founded in 1979, NIPSS is Nigeria’s foremost policy formation centre for bureaucrats, private sector leaders, army officers, medium-rank and senior civil servants.
Many policymakers in Nigeria have attended the NIPSS. Notable among them are ex-military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida and Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Each year, NIPSS develops a policy plan for the country. It reports directly to the Nigerian President and is supervised by the Vice President.
This year, President Buhari gave the institute a mandate to proffer policy options that will enable government fashion out appropriate responses to the challenge of rapid population growth and slow pace of human capital development.
To attain this mandate, NIPSS collaborated with a Non-Governmental Organisation, Development Research and Project Centre (DRPC) under the Partnership for Advocacy in child and family Health At Scale, PACFaH@Scale.
DRPC, which has been partnering with NIPSS for over 15 years supported the programme through capacity building of the directing staff in Nigeria and abroad. It also helped experts to make presentations and prepare the participants with high-level knowledge and exposure.
PREMIUM TIMES will bring you live updates of the event scheduled to begin from 10 a.m. You can also follow it on Twitter using #Health4AllNaija.
LIVE UPDATE
9:25 a.m- It is a cold morning in Kuru, Plateau State as very much expected.
Guests are beginning to file into the sports pavilion in NIPSS for the graduation ceremony of the Senior Executive Course 42, 2020.
This year’s graduation ceremony comes at a time the world is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic which has infected over 70 million people globally.
Majority of the guests are spotted with well-covered face masks and also observing physical distancing as part of Non-Pharmaceutical measures to limit the spread of the virus.
Many dignitaries are expected to attend the ceremony hence the presence of heavy security officers around the venue.
”Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all to the graduation ceremony of Senior Executive Course 42, 2020.” The co-anchor of the event, Sandra Agbu said.
She enjoins everyone to be seated and get ready for the commencement of the glamorous event scheduled to begin by 10:00 a.m.
Guests and participants are seated and waiting for the arrival of some dignitaries billed to be present here today.
Among the dignitaries who have arrived are the Enugu State Commissioner for Labour and Productivity; the Plateau State Commissioner for Health, a representative of the Federal Road Safety Corp, a representative of the Chief of Naval staff and a representative of NUC.
Some dignitaries still expected are the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, Plateau State’s governor, Simon Lalong and Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin.
10:10 a.m
The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong and the Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin just arrived at the venue.
Mr Olonisakin is also the interim chairman, Board of Governors, NIPSS.
10:12am
The event just commenced with the National Anthem and prayers from both the christian and Muslim community.
10:20 a.m
Jacob Tsado, a co-anchor of the event ,is reading out the mandates of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) since its establishment.
NIPSS Kuru was established by Decree No. 20, 1979 and CAP Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Graduates of this institute have been involved in formulating policies that are expected to develop the country.
He said despite the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world, the 78 graduates have defied all odds to successfully complete their studies.
10:27 a.m
The Director- General of NIPSS, Kuru Habu Galadima, mounts the podium to give his opening remarks.
10:27 a.m
Mr Galadima said the Senior Executives Course 42 commenced in February 2020, with 78 participants from different sectors in the country.
He said the president directed the participants to conduct a study on the theme “population growth and human capital development: challenges and opportunities.
Mr Galadima said the participants conducted the study rigorously under the menacing shadow of COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the participants were locked down in NIPSS campus for several months. He said the participants were able to visit some countries when the lockdown was eased.
Mr Galadima said the intellectual focus of the participants have been sharpened and capacity well expanded.
He said the NIPSS has always served as a centre of reflection and dialogue.
10: 40 a.m
The Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin. who doubles as the interim chairman, Board of Governors, NIPSS, takes to the podium to deliver his speech.
Mr Olonisakin said despite the challenges poised by the COVID-19 pandemic, the participants kept the institute afloat to ensure the study was not disrupted.
He said the participants have shown considerable sense of discipline and patriotism by coming up with truthful recommendations and implementation strategies.
Mr Olonisakin noted that the president, Mr Buhari, is strategically focused, noting that the theme for this year’s study is timely.
He said the study report will provide points into how best to respond to issues related to population growth and human capital development.
He expressed his appreciation for the president for his support so far.
Mr Olonisakin urged the president to expand the NIPSS infrastructure to accommodate more participants in the coming years.
He said demand for the programme is growing across the nation but the capacity is small to accommodate all.
Mr Olonisakin said as a member of the governing board, he will continue to provide maximum support for the management of the institute to achieve its vision.
presentation of certificates of Membership of the National Institute (mni) to all NIPSS successful participants at Kuru, Plateau state
10:52 a.m.
Caleb Olayera, the monitor general of Senior Executive Course 42, takes to the podium to deliver his valedictory speech.
He said the president directed them to research on the topic, “population growth and human capital development in Nigeria, challenges and opportunities,” in a bid to bring up appropriate recommendations.
Mr Olayera said the Senior Executive Course 42 has successfully delivered on this task. He said the president attested to this when he received the report.
He said the group is lucky to have passed through NIPSS.
Mr Olayera appreciates the president for the opportunity to serve the nation through the assignments.
He noted that every graduate has become better in various ways. He said the national scientists amongst them have become vast in policy and economic matters.
Mr Olayera said the institute has ensured they become better leaders and better policy makers.
He, however, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic took its heavy toll on the country, as well as other parts of the world.
Mr Olayera said the resilience of the management of the institute ensured they continued studying.
11:10 a.m
Presentation of the 78 participants to the Director General of NIPSS, Habu Galadima
The graduating team, as part of their project for the completion of their course, had been given the mandate to proffer policy options that will enable the government to fashion out appropriate responses to the challenge of rapid population growth and the slow pace of human capital development.
To attain this mandate, NIPSS collaborated with a Non-Governmental Organisation, Development Research and Project Centre (DRPC) under the Partnership for Advocacy in child and family Health At Scale, PACFaH@Scale.
Each year, NIPSS develops a policy plan for the country. It reports directly to the Nigerian President and is supervised by the Vice President.
This graduation serves as the last step of the completion of the course.
Participants, who fulfil all the requirements of the course, are awarded a certificate entitling them to “Membership of the National Institute” (mni).
Those who are unable to meet the requirements of the course merely get a certificate of attendance.
The graduates started the course in February and are receiving the certificate of completion today.
11:18 a.m
Presentation of MNI certificates to graduates
The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, takes the stage to present certificates of Membership of the National Institute (mni), to all successful participants.
All 78 graduates of the Senior Executive Course 42, can henceforth use the mni in front of their names.
The graduates were drawn from the private sector, the civil service, paramilitary and military sector.
The senior Executive Course 42, which began in February, 2020, lasted for a period of 10 months.
The programme of the course is organised into the modules: Understanding the Nigerian state, research methodology, leadership, policy and strategy, science, technology and innovation, economics and management studies, international Relations, Defence and Security Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies/Crisis Management.
The Senior Executive Course is organised by the Directorate of Studies, in conjunction with other Directorates and departments of the institute.
Decoration of graduates by their spouses
11:50 a.m
The president of Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), MD Abubakar, takes the stage to induct the graduates into the association.
He also directed spouses of the graduates to come decorate their partners.
12:05 p.m
The special guest of honour, Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who is representing the President, takes to the podium to deliver his speech.
Mr Lalong congratulates the graduating class on the successful completion of their course. He said the need for high quality strategic thinking and action across the public and private sectors has never been greater.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the global economy resulting in increasing expenditure on healthcare and related infrastructure and disruptions to supply chains.
Mr Lalong said measures taken to contain the virus have also had the effect of a fall in the demand for crude oil and an unprecedented oil price crash.
Mr Lalong said the facts and figures are to remind the graduates of the tasks ahead.
He said innovation and creative intelligence from the graduates is needed, to address national challenges.
Mr Lalong said the institution was founded to empower decision makers and executives across the public and private sector.
He noted that the selection process is deliberately competitive and the workload is intentionally rigorous.
He said the fast growing young and dynamic population that feels disempowered, is a threat to stability.
“This calls for the expansion of access to opportunity and investment in human capital development (on) a scale that is unprecedented in our history,” he said.
Mr Lalong said the government has adopted new ethics of collaborations, in which the public sector sees its role as enabling the private sector to perform optimally.
He said the reputation of the government as predatory and rent-seeking was derived from the interaction between entrepreneurs and government institutions.
Mr Lalong said this has led to some unfortunate situations.
He urged everyone to dismantle all such roadblocks of rent seeking as impediments to doing lawful business in various spheres of influence.
Mr Lalong also encouraged the graduates to serve as examples of progressive values to inspire others to take up the challenge.
“The simple resolve that things should work under your watch will win you both friends and adversaries but the evidence of history is clear that change must first come from the margins before it can become mainstream,” he said.
He urged the graduates to consolidate the associations and friendships established during the course.
The co-anchor takes the podium to announce the closing of the ceremony.
Everyone is up for the National Anthem.
This brings us to the end of this live update.
Thanks for staying with us.
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