By Haliru Idris and Lawrence Okedare
The Kwara State Government has conducted a three-day capacity-building workshop for planning officers in the state civil service, with a charge to participants to strengthen their professional competence and improve the quality of planning, budgeting and policy implementation across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The workshop, organised by the Office of the Head of Service in conjunction with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, was aimed at equipping planning officers with contemporary knowledge and practical skills in strategic development planning, budgeting, public debt management, results-based management, project appraisal and public investment management.
Declaring the workshop open in Ilorin, the Acting Head of Service, Dr Olufunke Mercy Shittu, said the initiative was designed to strengthen the capacity of the workforce and reposition the public service for more efficient, effective and forward-looking governance.
Dr Shittu stressed that no government could achieve sustainable development without a robust planning system, describing planning as the foundation upon which policies are formulated, programmes implemented, resources allocated and outcomes measured.
She said the quality of planning ultimately determines the quality of government results, urging planning officers to embrace sound analysis, strategic thinking and evidence-based decision-making in the discharge of their responsibilities.
According to her, the demands of contemporary public service require innovation, professionalism, accountability and adaptability, making it necessary for planning officers to move beyond traditional approaches and embrace modern planning tools, including data analytics, digital technology and performance management systems.
Speaking further in an interview with The Herald after the opening session, the Acting Head of Service said the Management Services and Training Directorate of her office would assess the impact of the training by visiting participants in their respective MDAs to determine how effectively the knowledge acquired was being applied to their duties.
She said the success of the programme would not be measured merely by the quality of presentations delivered during the workshop, but by its practical impact on officers’ daily performance, project planning, monitoring and evaluation, and prudent utilisation of public resources.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development, Dr Mary Ronke Arinde, described planning officers as essential personnel in every ministry, saying they constitute the “engine room” for translating government policies into programmes and budgets.
Dr Arinde urged the participants to take full advantage of the workshop by asking questions, taking notes and acquiring additional knowledge and skills that would add value to their respective MDAs.
Speaking in a separate briefing with The Herald reporters, the commissioner expressed concern over the shortage of planning officers in the state, saying she had appealed to the Head of Service to assist the ministry in securing more personnel for the planning cadre.
The commissioner expressed confidence that the three-day training would produce better-equipped planning officers capable of driving the state’s planning and budgeting processes in line with the development agenda of the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration. The workshop, which was held from August 10 to 12 at De-Peace Hotel and Suites, Tanke, Ilorin, features technical sessions on long-term strategic development planning, medium-term sector strategy, medium-term expenditure framework, budget preparation, public debt management, monitoring and evaluation, project planning and appraisal, and public investment management.
