In an effort to advance the objectives of the federal government’s Human Capital Development (HCD) program, Vice President Kashim Shettima granted approval on Monday for the formation of a multi-sectoral committee,leadership reports.
According to a statement from Stanley Nkwocha, the presidential spokesman in the Vice President’s office, the multi-sectoral team, consisting of representatives from the federal and state governments, donors, and partners, will meet every two weeks to assess the progress in addressing the goals of the HCD program.
The decision was reached during a meeting between the Vice President and key figures, including World Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri; chairman of the Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Tony Elumelu, and coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, among others, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
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During the meeting, Vice President Shettima emphasized the importance of government and partners investing in human capital development to create a globally competitive and adaptable workforce for the 21st century. He expressed the collective commitment to redirecting human capital towards safeguarding the economy.
Acknowledging the influence of businessmen Aliko Dangote and Tony Elumelu, the Vice President highlighted the pivotal role of leadership in the rise and fall of societies.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Pate, commended the federal government’s efforts in the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ and stressed the significance of investing in human resources. He emphasized the need for stakeholders to utilize existing data for accountability and accuracy in implementing programs under the HCD initiative.
Dangote praised the Vice President’s foresight and committed support to the HCD program, calling for diligent efforts to address the challenge of inaccurate data. Elumelu also pledged support for the federal government’s initiatives in human capital development.
World Bank Country Director, Mr. Chaudhuri, assured the bank’s support for the HCD program, particularly in technical assistance and strengthening databases.
Representatives from various partners, including the Nigerian Governors’ Forum Secretariat, British High Commission, UNDP, UNICEF, and JICA, also made remarks during the meeting.
The HCD program, launched in March 2018, addresses challenges in education, health, and labor force participation. It involves a comprehensive framework and a multi-stakeholder approach, guided by a Steering Committee chaired by the Vice President and a Core Working Group for practical implementation at the local level. The program focuses on Health and Nutrition, Labour Force Participation and Education, and six essential human capital development areas.
