Date Published: 05/24/09
Press Release 24-05-2009
NIGERIA GOVERNORS’ FORUM
Harvard University Partners Nigerian Governors on Capacity Building
Nigeria’s 36 governors on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the prestigious John F. Kennedy School of Government of the renowned Harvard University in the United States, for periodic training programme for the states’ helmsmen.
Also to benefit from the training, which will focus on governance and leadership, are key secretariat staff of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and local business and political leaders.
The MOU which became effective on May 22, 2009 was signed in the United States when the Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the NGF, Dr. Bukola Saraki, led Governors Isa Yuguda, (Bauchi), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and the leadership of the Forum’s Secretariat on a visit to the University last week.
While Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Forum’s Director General, Mr. Asishana Okauru, signed for the NGF, Professor Robert Rotberg, Director, Programme on Intrastate Conflict of the University and Ms. Katie Naeve, the Programme Manager endorsed the document on behalf of Harvard University.
Under the agreement, the Robert and Renie Belfer Centre for Science and International Affairs of the University will under its Intrastate Conflict Programme conduct a series of training programmes for the governors between October this year and 2011.
According to the MOU, Harvard University will hold three workshops on leadership, good governance, education policy and economic development for the governors and NGF key staff, the first of which has been scheduled for October 2009.
The second training programme will hold before June 2010 while further workshops will take place between 2010 and 2011 and even beyond.
The Program on Intrastate Conflict will provide world-renowned experts in the areas of focus to teach at each of the three workshops while the NGF’s Secretariat will coordinate the logistics for the programme.
Professor Rotberg, with input from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, will formulate appropriate curricula for each of the workshops.
In a statement after the agreement was signed, Mr. Okauru said, “We are very delighted that Harvard has bought into our commitment to make the NGF a policy hub and assist in improving the capacity of our governors and senior officers who work directly with them.
“This partnership with Harvard University will certainly enhance governance and the adoption of global best practices especially by those who occupy high political offices in our democracy.”
