At a meeting with provincial leaders on January 3, Mr Nhan emphasised that the province should be developed into an economic and educational centre of the north-central region and set a target for an economic growth rate of at least 10.5 percent in 2009.

To this end, he asked Nghe An to develop human resources and scientific technology, accelerate administrative reform, resolve social issues and protect the environment.

The Deputy PM said that the Government will restructure the university and college network in the province and allow it to open branches of medical, construction, culture and arts universities in the locality. He also said the Government will consider including the Vinh University in the list of national key universities. He urged the province to disburse capital from the sale of Government bonds to implement education and healthcare projects more efficiently.

The deputy PM agreed with the province's proposal to establish a secondary boarding school for ethnic minority students to meet the demand for human resources in 10 mountainous districts, and develop the Nghe An General Hospital into a north-central regional hospital.

He urged Nghe An to mobilise resources to complete the Kim Lien relic preservation project in 2010 to mark the 120^th birth anniversary of the late President Ho Chi Minh.

In 2008, Nghe An met 18 out of 22 key targets, with a GDP growth rate of 10.6 percent.