By Angela Atabo
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, in collaboration with four leading strategic partners have launched a pan-African initiative aimed at equipping public sector players and transforming public governance in Africa.
The initiative, named LEAD, seeks to make excellence in public governance a driving force for economic development and improved public service delivery throughout Africa.
The other partners include, Africa CEO Forum, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
The Founder of the Foundation, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, made this known to newsmen in Abuja.
Aig-Imoukhuede said the initiative was aimed at making excellence in public policy the engine for sustainable economic transformation across the African continent.
“The human capital of Africa’s public sector is one of the continent’s most underutilised resources.
“Training, equipping, and empowering public sector leaders is a vital mission, ” he said.
Aig-Imoukhuede said through the initiative, the Foundation would join forces to build a high-performing, citizen-focused public service, driven by results.
“The initiative responds to an obvious fact; despite nearly two decades of almost uninterrupted growth, Africa continues to suffer from a deficit in public services.
“This significantly inhibits its economic development and the quality of life of its 1.4 billion inhabitants, ” he said.
He explained that the initiative aimed to bridge the gap by putting sound economic governance back at the core of Africa’s development agenda.
He added that it demonstrated that well-designed regulatory, fiscal, and logistical choices would bring about major change.
“The initiative’s primary objective will, therefore, be to promote excellence in African public policy among some 50 high-potential young civil servants from across the continent each year.
“It will draw inspiration from concrete examples of global success, such as Brazil, which has created a universal healthcare system while digitising its public services, ” he said.
He said the initiative would also try to build a pan-African network of young public decision-makers who share a common vision of public service excellence.
He added that they should also have the ambition to help in making big projects like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) happen. (NAN)
