ANSG Hosts First Southeast Human Capital Development Regional Conference

Anambra state government has hosted the first Southeast Human Capital Development Regional Conference which is geared towards improving the living standard of people of the South East region.

The conference focused on bettering the lives of people in the zone in three thematic areas which include health and nutrition, education and labour participation.

the two-day event which is ongoing at the International Convention Centre in Awka, with the theme, “Changing the Narrative Towards Entrenching Human Capital Development in South East Nigeria, attracted top government officials, critical stakeholders’ health and nutrition, education and labour sectors, as well as civil society organizations and representatives of disability community.

Declaring the event open, the Anambra state Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim who is the Chairman Anambra state Human Capital Development Council while pointing out that human capital is one of the major pillars of the Professor Chukwuma Soludo led administration, said that actualization of a very productive human capital that is exportable in South East geopolitical zone demands the collective efforts of the five states in the zone, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Abia states, as according to him the states cannot achieve such feat in isolation.

Deputy Governor Ibezim who expressed hope that the event will yield positive results in the interest of people of South East, explained that the conference is in line with the federal government’s vision of accelerating human capital development across Nigeria, a target according to him, the National Economic Council in 2018 established the Human Capital Development Core Working Group, CWG, to achieve.

In a remark, the Coordinator Core Working Group of Human Capital Development, and Senior Technical Adviser to the Vice President, Mrs Yosda Akinbi who spoke through the Technical Advisor on the Human Capital Development Program, emphasized the need for states across the country to help Nigeria measure up with developed countries of the world, as according to her, the difference between developed and developing countries is attention giving to human capital development.

In a remark, Anambra state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, and the state Human Capital Development Focal Person, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, emphasized that the essence of the conference is to enable the region to articulate, and proffer human capital development solutions, strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders, and forge a stronger alliance within the region and build a stronger southeastern Nigeria.

In their various remarks, the Anambra Commissioner for Youths Development and that of Petroleum, Barrister Tony Ifeanya, and the immediate past Anambra state Commissioner for Education, Professor Kate Omenugha, who assessed human capital development in Southeast, disclosed that the Professor Soludo government has shown keen interest in human capital development which is evident in empowerment programmes and other programmes already designed for Ndi Anambra.

For a participant at the event, Comrade Edith Onwuka who is the Chairman Anambra state Joint Negotiating Council, governors in the Southeast should endeavour to implement the outcome of the conference to positively place the region in the global map.