Ogenyi Ochapa and other stakeholders at the workshop for TAs & ZTOs held in Abuja recently

Ahead of the September, 2015 target date of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Federal Government said Nigeria has attained the targets on HIV/AIDs and Maternal Mortality in the global development goals.

This was revealed by the Director/Secretary of Programmes in the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, (OSSAP-MDGs), Ogenyi Ochapa at the sensitization and workshop on transition from Millennium Development Goals, MDGs to Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs and the 2015 MDGs Report for Conditional Grant Scheme to Local Governments’ Technical Assistants and Zonal Technical Officers held in Abuja.

According to a statement issued by the Media Consultant to OSSAP-MDGs, Ochapa started that since Nigeria commenced the implementation of the MDGs in 2006, appreciable progress has been recorded, particularly in the areas of health, water, gender equality, reduction in the spread of HIV/AIDs, the prevalence of hunger and global partnership. The statement also hinted that Nigeria had over two years before the deadline attained the Hunger Target in Goal 1, with the Food and Agricultural Organisation honouring the country for the achievement in Rome.

Ochapa, who noted that, while the final MDGs exit Report, which will contain the actual achievement in the implementation of MDGs is still being collated, however stated that the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has dropped from 1,000 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 243 per 100,000 live births in 2014 indicating success in the attainment of the target.
“In 1990, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) was estimated as 1,000 per 100,000 live births; in 2008, this figure decreased to 545 and in 2012, the figure was 350. The 2014 MMR figure stands at 243 per 100,000 live births, which means that this Target has been achieved.”

Ochapa also added that: “Nigeria’s HIV prevalence decreased from a figure of 5.8 to 4.1 in 2010. This falling trend satisfies the criteria for the attainment of Target 6.A. In addition, the percentage of the population using improved drinking water sources increased from 57% in 2004 to 62.2% in 2014. Until recently, due to debt forgiveness negotiated from the Paris Club, the debt-export ratio was as low as 0.4. There has also been remarkable improvement in teledensity and Internet penetration.”

According to the Director/SOP MDGs, Nigeria has also recorded huge success in the areas of universal primary enrolment, gender parity in education, reduction in child mortality.
“Specifically, Nigeria has reduced by half the population of those who suffer from hunger way ahead of the 2015 deadline. The Primary Six Completion Rate improved to 88% in 2012 from a baseline of 82% in 2004 but declined to 74% in 2014. Nigeria has achieved the gender parity targets at primary and secondary education levels with the national average Gender Parity Index (GPI) being 1. Our under-five mortality rate declined from 157 per 1,000 live births to 89 per 1,000 live births in 2014. The 2012 infant mortality rate of 61 per 1,000 live births declined slightly in 2014 to 58.”

“These findings are being detailed in the Exit MDGs Country Report which is at the moment nearing completion. As you are aware, Nigeria published its first MDGs Country Report in 2006. The 2006 country Report presented a preliminary assessment of the progress made towards the achievement of the eight MDGs. The second and third Reports produced in 2010 and 2013 respectively, provided in-depth analytical reviews of progress recorded and actions required for attaining the MDGs. The 2015 MDGs Report is like none other, as it will present trends in MDGs progress over the years as well as end-point statuses. This document will draw on lessons learnt from the implementation of the MDGs Agenda and make recommendations critical for the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals framework in Nigeria.” Ochapa stated.

The sensitization workshop on transition from the MDGs to the SDGs and the 2015 MDGs Report for CGS to Local Governments’ Technical Assistants and Zonal Technical Officers according to Ogenyi Ochapa was borne out of the urgent need to review the performance of the MDGs Agenda in Nigeria with a view to stimulating participation and enhancing ownership of the new global agenda in order to drive development planning and execution at the sub-national level for the next decade and a half.

It could be recalled that the process of framing a successor to the MDGs has just been completed with the formulation of 17 SDGs and 169 Targets. At the 70thsession of the UN General Assembly in September 2015, heads of State and Government will adopt a declaration on the SDGs. The final outcome document was finalized on the 1st of August. The SDGs is a more robust framework and it seeks to foster inclusive development whilst addressing the economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainable development in a more universal way.