No fewer than 100 public servants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Ogun State have undergone sensitisation workshops on bridging the awareness gap in the achievement and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) in the state.
The two-day workshop organised by the German’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and tagged ‘SDG Sensitisation Workshop’, was held in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Declaring the workshop open on Monday, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan, said reminding the MDAs of the importance of the 17-point Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as being done by the GIZ aligned with the developmental strides of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led government in the state.
Olabimtan, who was represented by the Director, Development Partners Coordinating unit in the Ministry, Mrs. Oyinlola Oyenuga, added, “The whole essence of the SDG is development; the ISEYA pillars of the current Prince Dapo Abiodun government is also about all-round development. The GIZ is consciously or otherwise bringing like minds together and we are grateful.”
In his remarks, the GIZ’s Local Economic Development (LED), Programme Advisor, Mr. Sunday Idahosa, said his agency was interested in sensitising both the public and private sector’s stakeholders on the import of achieving and sustaining the goals of the SDG.
Idahosa added that the GIZ was interested in gearing the MDAs to embed the SDGs in their Medium and Long Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) for efficiency in service delivery.
Speaking on the rationale behind the workshop, a Consultant to the GIZ on the training, Tolulope Aina, explained that the workshop was primarily to raise the awareness level and further equip the public servants, including those at the local governments, on the realisation of the SDGs, as itemised by the United Nations.
She added that the training would also highlight the SDGs in relation to the realities in the state towards achieving the goals.
Aina, however, said that the participants were expected to go back to their respective ministries, departments and agencies to share their knowledge, and spread the information needed for the realisation of the SDGs.
She noted that the gaps identified as hindrances to the achievement of the sustainable development goals would be discussed at the workshop, while possible solutions would be proffered by the participants.