By
Mudassir Aliyu Yunusa
Development is a general word that is understandable and desirable in any sphere of human endeavor. Generally, any country would want to be considered as a developed nation. That is why the actions of many sincere entities (Nations, States, towns or communities) are geared towards attaining development, but the carrying out and actualization of development depends upon the determination, commitment, sincerity as well as nature of resources coupled with high level of capacity utilization of available resources.
The most important component that brings development is LEADERSHIP. The sincerity and the curiosity of the leaders, stakeholders as well as the custodian of country’s wealth are the prerequisites for attaining development.
Development is the systematic capacity for a given society to behave itself and determine to achieve improvement in socio Economic and political spheres of human endeavors.
According to M.P Todaro “Development is a multi dimensional process of reorganization and reorientation of the entire socio economic and political system, it involves radical changes in social structure, popular attitudes, institutional and administrative system which will eventually accelerate economic growth and bring sustainable development”.
Development can also be seen as growth with positive structural and technological changes.
On the other hand, planning is the utmost preparations in the present time with the aim of attaining positive future. It is also a rational behavior of coordinating, organizing and managing the means or resources to attain development in a given time to come.
Therefore, development planning can be seen as a conscious, legitimate and systematic allocation of the resources in order to attain both contemporary and prospective development.
However, Nigeria right from independence has experienced different regimes both military and civilian, and every successive regime usually come up with its distinct tactical, strategic plan and policy in its quest for development. The most amazing thing with most of those administrations is their failure or lack of continuity to accomplish some planned or launched policies and programmes left behind by their predecessors (previous government’s projects including those in progress as well as some good works captured in the preceding development planning).
Nigeria as an independent Nation adopts planning as its major development approach.
Since independence in 1960 to date, various development plans were introduced in succession, from the first National Development plan up to the fifth National Development plan mostly introduced by military regimes. Again, medium and long term development planning were also adopted, e.g. 1990 to 1996 National Planning, the vision 2010 by Abacha’s regime, 7 point agenda by late Umaru Yar’adua and Jonathan’s vision 20; 2020. But despite the efforts made to achieve development through the subsequent plans, the country’s four macroeconomic goals (General Price level, Stable Employment, Satisfactory BOP & sustainable Growth Rate) are still unfavourable which culminated into economic instability and social under development.
With the return of democracy in 1999, various programs and agenda were set and determined for the purpose of attainment of growth and National development. Attempt to revitalize agricultural sector through National Special Programme on Food Security (NSPFS), and plan to stimulate education through the Universal Basic Education (UBE) were provided by federal government of 1999 – 2007, but both of them witnessed very little success despite the money pumped to the two sectors in 8 years.
Nevertheless, with the coming of Y’aradua’s government in 2007, another development agenda were set, the seven (7) point agenda and the vision 20 2020 were projected for economic and social development. Under the 7 point agenda are power and energy, agriculture and food security, wealth creation and empowerment, education and mass transportation, security and the last one was the issue of land reforms. Nigerians paid more attention to see the impacts of the agenda but nothing was realized even though the plan was affected by the ill condition of the late President as well as the then global economic meltdown in which the price of crude oil, the heart of Nigerian economy, in international market was crushed.
Despite series of development planning, in the second quarter of 2016 the country was under recession which resulted in high inflationary trend, general rise in price of goods and services leading to low purchasing power, accumulation of debt servicing especially foreign debts, high interest rate which is always discouraging investors (Foreign and National), fall in aggregate demand, fall in income redistribution, unemployment and poverty which generally brought intense hardship and social unrest.
As a matter of urgency, all development planning that were neglected should be retrieved and re-examined to accommodate present day challenges. Let our government come up with reasonable and most attainable planning that would bring sustainable development to the country.
Finally, for the benefit of the entire citizens and the country as a whole, our leaders should embrace the spirit of continuity in governance, through actualizing some good policies and programmes designed and initiated by previous regime(s) even if they come from opposition governments.
MUDASSIR can be reached on 08028188129.
