- Institute’s Former Alumni President laments loads of abandoned research works
President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR has charged the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to surpass the best think-tank amongst policy Institutes in the world by introducing new ideas and techniques into the nation’s policy making process.
The President made this charge during the graduation ceremony of the Senior Executive Course No 44, 2022 at NIPSS, Kuru, Plateau State at the weekend.
Meanwhile, in a separate exclusive chat with The News Diet, a former President of the Alumni Association of NIPSS and Former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adewale Adelusi-Adeluyi, OFR, mni, lamented that several valuable papers by NIPSS on key sectoral issues have been jettisoned by the government.
His words: “At NIPSS, there is a whole research document on transportation administration in Nigeria. I was Chairman of a Seminar that discussed the nation’s transportation systems and proffered solutions. There is a comprehensive book on these transportation issues at NIPSS, but the problem is who acts on it.”
“NIPSS has valuable documents on numerous subjects that were developed after brainstorming for nine months and these materials are presented to the Presidency. I have led several delegations for such presentations and everyone received us warmly and kindly. Nevertheless, nothing happens after we leave the premises. Therefore, the burden is actually on the leadership of the nation. So, it’s not like we don’t have ideas or policies. What we lack is the will to get things done appropriately.”
Meanwhile, Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo said he was delighted to be at the ceremony because of the historic role the national policy think-tank has played in people’s lives and the potentials it has to do better for the nation.
The President revealed that he was particularly impressed as the graduation loudly attests to the consistency that NIPSS stands for.
“This is an integral aspect of the dreams of the founding fathers of the Institute. It is also an assignment in which the Institute has never failed no matter the challenges, not even in the era of COVID-19.”
“While I congratulate the Institute for being resiliently consistent, I also wish to remind the Institute of the other aspects of your mandate, which is to evolve ideas, new techniques, skills, policies, and new directions to guide policy making at the highest level.”
“In other words, you need to follow the global dynamics in policies and guide the nation on the application of global best practices. I use the opportunity offered by this special occasion to challenge the National Institute to strive to be at par or even surpass the best think-tank amongst policy Institutes in the world. We will do our best in supporting you to fulfill this charge and other mandates,” he said.
The President commended NIPSS and described the Institute as a strong and dependable ally of the government, adding that the Institute’s effort at engaging the best brains on critical national issues hasn’t gone unnoticed and its submissions on the issues have also proved to be very useful in resolving many issues.
“At this juncture, let me place on record that this administration, like the ones before it, find in NIPSS a strong and dependable ally. Your submissions on course themes every year has either evolved a new policy addressing a major national issue or resulted to a review of existing policies to accommodate current realities.
Buhari further gave assurances that the government will continue to support NIPSS towards achieving sustainable development as a nation.
The President also advised graduands to sustain the level of seriousness with which they handled the course themes as they are of great importance to government, even as he told the graduands that having invested so much in them, the nation expects them to bring to bear the novel ideas acquired from Kuru.
“I assure you that the findings and recommendations contained in your report will be promptly attended to and applied by my government and those to come after me for the good of our dear country.”
“I congratulate you all and members of your tamiiy on your graduation and wish you the best as you resume to your positions or assume higher responsibilities in your various fields of endeavors,” he added.
“To the management and staff of the National Institute, I commend you. The government buys into your mission of working towards a better society and is ever willing and ready to support you in achieving it for our nation.
“Thank you for producing very excellent results even in the face of stiff challenges. Thank you and God bless you all,” he said.
The Minister later commissioned, on behalf of the President, the Nursery/Primary School and e-learning center donated by the graduands to the children of the NIPSS staff and the Kuru community as well as a weather center established by the graduands in collaboration with the NIMET.
“We also congratulate the Honourable Minister whose younger brother, Bello Jaji Sambo, a Director with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs was among the graduands,” the President said.