Ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting scheduled for September, the Federal Government has constituted a technical team to prepare report, highlighting progress made in the 2009 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Besides, the framework for the implementation of the vision 20:2020 blueprint is being finalised with the last phase of the preparation for the first implementation plan.  The first phase will cover the period of 2010 to 2013.
The committee, which has less than 10 months to conclude the report, is expected to work within six point term of reference, to collate input from all relevant MDAs, with a view to ascertaining the progress made towards the attainment of the MDGs in Nigeria; develop a five-year strategy aimed at accelerating progress towards the attainment of the goals; and to develop Nigeria’s draft position paper on modalities for accelerating progress towards the attainment of the MDGs for the UN+10 Summit scheduled for September 2010.
Also, body would produce a regular briefing sessions with representatives of the MDAs and sub-national governments, to enable the production of MDA report for 2009; arrange a stakeholders' consultative forum on Nigeria's draft for 2009 and to undertake any other activity that may be necessary to achieve the objectives of the assignment.
The Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, who inaugurated the Interministerial Technical Committee on the Production of 2009 MDG Report and Nigeria's preparation for the MDGs +10 Summit scheduled for New York, in United States stressed that the  government is mindful of importance of the summit.
According to him, the aim of the committee is to facilitate the successful production of the 2009 MDGs’ report, which will also form part of the input into the United Nations MDGs +10 summit.
He said the report would be the fifth in the series of the progress report including the mid-term assessment report on the implementation of the MDGs in Nigeria.
Although, the target date for the completion of the MDGs is in another five years, the minister noted that Nigeria had made significant progress out of the eight.
His words: "It is reassuring to note that the report on the mid term assessment on the MDGs shows that Nigeria has made remarkable progress in five key areas; the eradication of the of extreme poverty and hunger; achievement of Universal primary education; promotion of gender equality and women empowerment; combating HIV/AIDs, Malaria and other diseases and the achievement of a global partnership for development."
The committee will be working under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the Commission, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the MDGs and the Macroeconomic Analysis Department of the National Planning Commission as joint Secretariat.
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the MDGs, Hajia Aminat Subai pointed out that the funding for the implementation of the MDGs in Nigeria had not been sufficient with challenges on ground.
According to her, other sources of funding are required for the country, if it is to meet up with the target of the MDGs by 2015.
She said: "A lot has happened in the last three to four years but we have a challenge in the reduction of infant child mortality rate on nutrition, immunisation, water and sanitation and the funding is not enough to cover some of the plan.
"But with the committee, we look forward to measure how well we have done and how much more needs to be done."
The United Nations Development Programme Resident Coordinator and  Representative, Daouda Toure, cautioned the government to be mindful of the short time it has left bearing in mind that not only Nigeria has to fulfill the target.
He said: "Measuring progress is fundamental to ascertaining progress made but the measuring the impact at this time has little time left, as we look towards the target date. Progress has been made but we can do more."