Olaopa urges political scientists to generate valuable ideas for policymakers
The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa has urged political scientists to generate valuable ideas for policymakers to address the development challenges of the country.
Prof. Olaopa spoke at the 3rd Conference of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) held at Lead City University in Ibadan on Wednesday.
In his opening statement, he expressed deep honor and pride in participating in the conference, emphasizing his longstanding commitment to political science scholarship and practice.
Reflecting on his academic journey since the 1980s, Prof. Olaopa highlighted the pivotal role of institutions like NPSA in shaping discourse and fostering the development of political science in Nigeria.
Commending the remarkable achievements of NPSA under the leadership of Prof. Hassan Saliu nationally and Prof. Victor Isumonah in the South West, Prof. Olaopa underscored the association’s transformation into a formidable force driving governance and institutional reforms.
Addressing the conference theme, Prof. Olaopa stressed the importance of good governance and development management, emphasizing the role of scholarly contributions in shaping policy and fostering societal progress.
He highlighted the need for political scientists to frame research questions and engage in strategic communication to address governance challenges effectively.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey since the inauguration of the fourth republic in 1999, Prof. Olaopa lamented the perceived shortcomings in public service delivery, citing issues such as infrastructure decay and educational disparities.
He called for innovative solutions and highlighted the importance of the conference in setting agendas for Nigeria’s future governance.
Prof. Olaopa concluded by acknowledging the timely choice of conference topics and expressed hope for the outcomes to serve as valuable inputs for policymakers at all levels of government.
He extended his congratulations to the NPSA South West Exco for organizing the significant event and anticipated a rewarding and fruitful conference.
The 3rd NPSA Conference promises to be a platform for robust scholarly discourse and the generation of actionable recommendations to address Nigeria’s governance challenges.
