The House of Representatives has moved to institutionalise the consideration and utilisation of strategic analysis findings in nationwide coverage formulation, growth planning and governance.
The transfer adopted a movement sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Abdussamad Dasuki, who represents Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency.
The movement seeks to set up a coordinated framework for the systematic evaluate, referral and monitoring of strategic analysis suggestions produced by key nationwide establishments, together with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru; the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja; and the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS).
The lawmakers famous that the Federal Government had through the years established and sustained these establishments to undertake analysis, develop strategic management capability and supply knowledgeable coverage suggestions to handle Nigeria’s financial, safety, governance and developmental challenges.
The House additional famous that the establishments frequently produce complete experiences and coverage suggestions by their govt programs, research programmes and analysis actions, drawing on the experience of senior public servants, army and safety officers, teachers, policymakers and different professionals.
The House additionally acknowledged the statutory mandate of NIPSS underneath Section 3 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Act to conduct interdisciplinary analysis into Nigeria’s social, financial, political and safety challenges and current sensible coverage choices to assist nationwide coverage formulation and implementation.
It cited Sections 13 and 18 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, which offer for institutional session in the preparation of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and set up the framework as the idea for annual funds preparation.
According to the movement, these provisions supply an current authorized framework by which strategic analysis findings can contribute to nationwide financial planning and expenditure priorities.
The lawmakers noticed that though analysis experiences and coverage suggestions from the establishments are periodically offered to the Presidency and different related authorities, there’s a want for a extra systematic and coordinated mechanism to guarantee their formal consideration, referral to accountable Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and follow-up on selections arising from their suggestions.
The House expressed concern that the absence of a clearly outlined, government-wide framework requiring related MDAs to formally evaluate and reply to strategic analysis suggestions might restrict the efficient utilisation of public investments in analysis.
The movement additionally warned that with out a longtime course of linking strategic analysis findings to nationwide growth plans, medium-term fiscal planning, sectoral insurance policies and programme implementation, the federal government might overlook sensible coverage choices for addressing recurring nationwide challenges and enhancing public expenditure.
To handle the considerations, the House expressed the conviction that institutionalising a proper Government Response to Strategic Research Recommendations mechanism would strengthen evidence-based governance, promote accountability and guarantee better worth from publicly funded strategic analysis.
Under the proposed mechanism, related MDAs could be required to doc whether or not suggestions referred to them have been accepted, accepted with modification, deferred or rejected, alongside causes for his or her selections and proposed implementation measures the place relevant.
The movement urged the Federal Government, by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and different related authorities, to set up a coordinated framework for receiving, reviewing, referring and monitoring strategic analysis suggestions from NIPSS, NDC and NISS.
It additionally referred to as on the federal government to combine consideration of analysis suggestions into current nationwide growth planning and budgetary processes, together with the MTEF, Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) and annual funds preparation.
In addition, the movement urged the Office of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with related defence, intelligence and safety authorities, to set up procedures for the safe consideration and utilisation of strategic analysis findings from NDC and NISS, whereas safeguarding categorised data and nationwide safety pursuits.
The lawmakers additional referred to as for a periodic reporting mechanism, by current administrative and performance-monitoring constructions, to observe the consideration and implementation of strategic analysis suggestions, with applicable summaries made accessible for accountability and coverage analysis, topic to relevant confidentiality necessities.
The movement additionally mandated the Committees on National Planning, National Security and Intelligence, Defence and Special Duties to interact the involved establishments, monitor the institution and implementation of the proposed framework, and report again to the House inside 4 weeks.
The proposed measures are geared toward making a extra structured hyperlink between publicly funded strategic analysis and authorities decision-making, with the target of enhancing coverage coordination, institutional studying and the implementation of nationwide growth priorities.
