"We Will Domesticate Our State Economic Development Plans In The Legislature For Effective Implementation" - Sen. Gershom Bassey

 

Sen. Gershom Bassey

The frontline Cross River State gubernatorial aspirant and Senator representing the good people of Southern Senatorial District, Sen. Gershom Bassey made this assertion at the one-day interactive forum for aspirants of Southern extraction with critical stakeholders of the District. The forum titled, "Resetting for Recovery and Growth through the State's Economy, Leadership, Politics, Community Values and Security" was at the instance of Sen. Bassey Ewa Henshaw and it had all the aspirants present.

According to the Distinguished Senator, Nigeria as a country with excess intellectual propensity does not lack National plans. These plans like NEEDS 1 and the ROLLING PLANS have enunciated a very copiously, beautiful theoretical framework for the economic development of our great country. Nevertheless, the problem with Nigeria is not plans but the effective implementation of these plans. Thus, he said, "As an active member of Senate Committee on National Planning, I know on good authority that Nigeria has no shortage of National plans ... The key issue is the implementation of those plans".

Distinguished Senator Gershom Bassey reiterated that his administration as Governor will focus more on the implementation of already existing State Economic Development Plans. Most of those plans were developed under his watch as Chairman of SPAC. He said his blueprint will be akin to what obtains in the Asian Tigers like Singapore and Korea where a high premium is placed on the Ministry of National Planning as the coordinating Ministry. He revealed that in those countries, National Plans are domesticated in the Legislature. Hence, he said, "When you make a plan, it becomes law and because it is law, you're mandated to implement it."

Sen. Gershom Bassey said as Governor, his administration shall domesticate all Economic Plans in the State Assembly. This will give impetus and compel the Government to implement the plans with the Legislature serving as an oversight. According to him, "That is the lacuna we have in all these plans. It is not about writing or rewriting plans because we have intelligence and capacity but our problem is implementation". He said once this lacuna of non-domestication is filled, implementation of State Economic Plans will lead to a better and egalitarian Cross River State of which we can all be proud.

#SGB Media