Factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has insisted that the Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi is an illegal body and cannot organize the convention of the party, even as he faulted the party’s BoT position granting recognition to the caretaker committee.
Modu Sheriff maintained that, because there is no provision for a caretaker at the national level in the PDP constitution, coupled with the fact that a competent court has pronounced it as illegal, while affirming Sheriff as the chairman, references should not even be made to the caretaker committee in looking for solutions to the PDP crisis.
In a statement, the embattled chairman said that it is the imposition of the caretaker committee is a contraption that precipitated the crisis in the first place, saying that any attempt to legitimize their function could spell further crisis for the PDP.
He stressed that BoT members should stop playing the ostrich and come to terms with the reality of his chairmanship, until a proper convention is organized.
He said that the Chairman of the BOT, Senator Walid Jibrin has forfeited the confidence of greater majority of party members because of his inconsistency and crave for money, and should give way to a credible person whose honour and integrity are not in dispute to steer the affairs of the PDP BoT.
Sheriff stated that the BoT chairman has in his actions and utterances portrayed the BOT as being teleguided, in such a way that he has brought credibility problem to the august body by clearly taking sides and championing the cause of particular interests in the crisis, at the expense of his leadership roles as mediator.
The chairman is of the view that, even though the BOT lacks the powers to give orders, it has acted in breach of its sacred duty as a father and so called conscience of the party by recognizing the Caretaker Committee, even when members know that it was the wrong thing to do. As much as he respects the BOT members, they should not allow themselves to be dragged into fighting a war for the benefits of a few power brokers.
He insisted that the BoT which earlier derailed peace initiatives by taking sides, coupled with the obvious roles of some of its members in the crisis, and against the background of the fact that it is merely an advisory body, lacks the moral and legitimate rights to dictate the pace of negotiations.
He said that already, the reconciliation committee, under Governor Seriake Dickson is still carrying out its assignment of reaching out to all parties, and that until the committee makes its recommendations, which the national Working Committee will look at and convene a NEC for necessary deliberations, the BoT’s actions are of no consequence. [myad]
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has boasted about his Management’s determination to make the Agency a world class high performance organization.
Dr. Peterside, who spoke during the Management Performance Review (MPR) of the Agency in Lagos, said that the Agency’s repositioning initiative is all encompassing and that when concluded, would be beneficial to the entire maritime sector.
The NIMASA boss said that the MPR is an avenue to assess the progress being made by the Agency vis-a-vis its reform, restructuring and repositioning drive to ensure that the Agency’s mandate is achieved.
“There is no organization that can grow without innovation and the MPR affords us a rare opportunity to assess our journey thus far. It is a rare privilege to match set goals with results…to assess ourselves on how far we have gone in this journey.
“When I joined you in NIMASA we sat down and agreed to build a world class high performance organization. In subscribing to that, we set out to craft a Medium Term Strategic plan which would be our roadmap. We have already started the critical elements of the things we agreed that are necessary to build a world class maritime organization. One is the automation of our processes and to fast track this, we set up a special taskforce. It is our vision that by October, NIMASA would be fully automated.”
Peterside noted that the dream of the Agency is to be recognized as the foremost maritime regulatory Agency in Africa that is the pride of the continent, adding that the Agency has the duty to facilitate maritime business and not to stifle it.
“The bigger picture is to build a world class, high performance organization that would satisfy the interest and yearnings of our clients as well as serve the interest of the country that set us up. We are indeed facilitators of maritime business; therefore we will not stifle it.”
The MPR session, which is still ongoing is expected to review the achievements of the Agency’s targets for the half year ended June 30, 2016 and map out strategies for meeting the set targets as outlined in its work plan for the period in review. [myad]
Tokyo International Conference on African Development, “TICAD 6” just ended in Nairobi, Kenya and in attendance were several African Presidents and Prime Ministers including our own Muhammadu Buhari and the co-convener of the conference, Shinzo Abe, the head of the Japanese government.
The TICAD seeks a win-win partnership between Japan and Africa. A key objective of the conference is to build up African ownership of its own vision of growth and development.
In furtherance of this, Japan seeks to differ with the other players on the continent by placing emphasis on high quality infrastructure that do more than job creation by transferring technology through the training of youth and women.
The conference held every five years from the time it started in 1993 until the last one in 2003 when it was decided that it should be convened every three years instead. The one that just finished is significant in the sense that this was the first time it took place in Africa. They met in Japan all the time in the past.
Another significant departure is the recognition of the role of the private sector in the economic take-off of the continent. In this respect, more than 100 Chief Executive Officers, CEOs from leading Japanese companies accompanied Prime Minister Abe. This is a clear indication that more and more Japanese companies are eying the African continent. A modest number of Nigerian business and state-owned enterprises were equally present.
From its start, Prime Minister Abe made known the intention of Japan to spend 10 Billion Dollars in the next twelve months and overall USD 30 Billion over a three-year period on areas key to African economies, targeting infrastructural projects such as roads, energy, ports, hospitals and training institutions. The money will partly be disbursed through the African Development Bank, ADB.
At the end of the conference, a statement tagged “Nairobi Declaration” was issued. Among its highlights is the launching of “Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security for Africa, IFNA.” This aims to bring African governments together to swiftly implement food and nutrition security policies and programs. There were important resolutions taken on economic diversification and industrialization; promotion of “resilient health system for quality of life” and measures for the promotion social stability and shared prosperity.
For Nigeria in particular, “TICAD 6” milestones include the important meeting between President Buhari and Prime Minister Abe, at which event problems militating against the inflow of Japanese investment into Nigeria were discussed and agreed upon.
Japanese companies had done a lot by way of investment in the past in Nigeria but there has noticeably been a drop in the last decade or two. Chiefly to blame is the problem of security, disguised in official discussions as “business environment.”
President Buhari used this meeting effectively in giving assurances that the problem is being addressed. Boko Haram terrorism is nearly gone and sabotage in the Niger Delta will soon be ended preferably through dialogue and if not, by force of arms.
Coming into close personal contact for the second time, the two leaders discussed the issues of trade and investment, health, peace and development of the continent. In addition, they discussed issues in diplomacy and international relations.
President Buhari’s statement at the Head of States’ round table meeting with business leaders underscored the serious efforts government is making to improve Nigeria’s notoriously bad business environment.
At this meeting, he announced the coming into place of a soon-to-be inaugurated “Presidential Enabling Business Council, PEBEC.”
He described it as an inter-ministerial council to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle business and economic activity to give way to the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria. It will be powered by the government but will be private-sector driven.
According to its vision, the PEBEC will make Nigeria one of the most attractive business destinations in the world. It will start with the modest effort of moving the country up 20 points in the World Bank ranking in the ease of doing business in the first year, taking it into the top 100 at the end of the four-year mandate of the current administration.
A third takeaway is on the sidelines of the TICAD where the Nigerian government delegation met a good number of big Japanese enterprises. Collectively and individually, these businesses expressed their intention of either coming in newly or expanding their participation in Nigeria’s private sector. The companies with varied interests in power, agriculture, automobile, motor cycles, textiles, financing and the service sector included the Honda Manufacturing (Nigeria) Limited, representing Honda Motor Co. Ltd; Japan Tobacco Inc., Marubeni Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation.
Others included Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Toyota Tsusho (Nigeria) Ltd., an affiliate of Toyota Tsusho Corporation, West African Seasoning Co. Ltd., affiliate of Ajinomoto Co. Inc., and Japan External Trade Organization, JETRO.
At these meetings, they explored the scope for the incentive packages the Nigerian government will give them so as to deepen and expand their investments. These included export rebates, access to Foreign Exchange, land, interest rates, transparency in business regulation and favourable regulatory structure.
The fourth important takeaway is the formation of a new group KENSA made up of industry leaders on the continent, Kenya representing East Africa, Egypt for North Africa, South Africa for the South and Nigeria, from West Africa.
The four countries agreed to consolidate their quadrilateral grouping initiated at the 19th July UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) meeting and decided to expand business and trade between the four of them, inject impetus into the CFTA, the African Union-inspired free trade agreement among African countries and to coordinate their positions on trade and investment inside and outside Africa.
Fifth, Nigeria and Kenya seized the opportunity of the meeting of their leaders to not only strengthen bilateral relations but to follow up on the achievements of the State Visit to Nairobi by President Buhari earlier this year.
From the time of the visit, both countries have seen a growing impetus for trade and investment between them. Kenya which discovered oil lately is picking lessons from Nigeria’s vast experience in oil and gas. Nigeria is learning from Kenyan experience in managing animal grazing. There are efforts on both sides to share experience and promote private sector participation in trade, cooperatives, micro finance, cotton farming and palm oil processing.
Sixth, under the auspices of the Bank of Industry and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council NIPC, several memoranda of understanding, MOUs were signed between Nigerian parties and their foreign counterparts. From many of these, investments and jobs will follow.
On the President’s delegation were the Ministers of Agriculture, Health, Budget and National Planning, and Industry, Trade and Investment.
There were also the National Security Adviser, NSA and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, NIA.
Members of the delegation expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the conference and the side engagements.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. [myad]
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, Elder Sunny Uyigue, has claimed that the state governor, Adams Oshiohole has done what Napoleon could not do when it comes to Edo State politics.
“Since I joined politics, I am yet to see a governor like him. Before, the PDP used to tell us how mammy water has stopped them from constructing roads, but today where is the Mammy water? Oshiomhole is constructing roads everywhere, schools; look at the hospital he built even if you are sick and go there you will be healed immediately.” Uyigue who spoke to news men in Benin city said that there is no magic that can make the PDP win this election, adding that the gods of Benin land would never allow the PDP come back to power in the state.
He decried the violence which he alleged PDP has brought into the political campaigns in the state.
“The campaign has been going on well, but PDP has started what they know best which is violence. But that will back fire. They are organizing thugs, creating tension where there is none.” [myad]
The PDP running mate John Yakubu yesterday accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of failing to provide N1 billion to fund the accreditation of programmes in the Ambrose Alli University while at the same time pumping N40 billion in the same period to the new university in his village.
Esan socio-cultural group, the Ikolo Esan in Edo state has promised that the Esan nation will reject Governor Adam Oshiomhole and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship election in the state for alleged marginalisation of the area by Oshiomhole administration.
At an interactive session in Benin at the weekend, the Esan sons and daughters within and outside the Edo State capital, made it clear that they did not fared well under the Oshiomhole’s administration and that he repeatedly ignored cries of marginalization made by them.
They accused Governor Oshiomhole of putting his Etsako nation ahead of other groups in the state in terms of developmental projects and political appointments, adding that the Esan nation was the worst hit by the lopsided appointments and projects.
Members of the Ikolo Esan hailed the PDP for nominating an Esan man, Mr. John Yakubu, as running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, saying the future of Esanland is more secured under the PDP.
Speaking at the occasion, Yakubu said Governor Oshiomhole’s plan for the Esan nation was to make them politically irrelevant, saying the September 10 governorship election presented an opportunity for Esans to unite and fight their marginalization and humiliation by the APC government.
He alleged that Oshiomhole stopped the Ibore and Okhunlen erosion projects which the Federal Government planned to execute in Edo Central Senatorial District, and that the only way they could put a stop to the present marginalization is to vote for the PDP.
“While Governor Oshiomhole could spend up to N40 billion in Iyamho University, he could not fund Ambrose Alli University with at least N1 billion so that the NUC would not de-accredit some of the courses there.”
On his part, the Chairman of the occasion, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin, Professor Abhulimen Richard Anao, said that the reason they came together was to pursue the interests of the Esan nation and that the Esan people should have a say in the affairs of Edo State. [myad]
African richest man and President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has struck a partnership with International Rock Star Artist, Paul David, popularly called Bono, a lead singer of rock group U2 to battle the creeping poverty, diseases and malnutrition in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camps in the North East and Nigeria.
At a joint press conference on Monday evening in Abuja, Alhaji Dangote said that as a result of the partnership, he and Bono had already visited Borno state, the flash point of the Boko Haram devastation, adding that the musician had seen things practically for himself.
“The partnership will focus on the most marginalized citizens, particularly girls and women who face the brunt of poverty and help empower those who are most at the risk of extreme poverty, extreme climate and extreme ideology.
“The new partnership will help amplify the calls of millions of Nigerian ONE members who have been campaigning for years on issues, including health, anti corruption and agriculture.
“I’m investing in ONE and partners across Nigeria to strengthen civil society and hel the government respond to our ongoing health needs and the urgent malnutrition crisis in the north east Nigeria. ONE’s extensive network of youth groups and its 2.3 million members will help bring international attention to and action on these issues. All of us can and must do more.”
Aliko Dangote disclosed that Dangote Foundation, similar to Bill Gates Foundation, had so far donate over three billion naira in response to the crisis in the north east, adding that the donations were in form of food, clothing and construction materials. He promised to donate more in the days ahead.
Speaking at the press conference, Bono, who is the co-founder of ONE Campaign Group said that he was proud to be in partnership Aliko Dangote whose Foundation works for the future of Nigeria and Africa through its young people.
He described the Nigerian and Africa youth as ‘rocket fuel’ and that there are no limits to how far they can go.
“They can transform the continent or they can blow up in your face. Harnessing their energy requires investment in their education, employment and health care. It is far better to invest in people now than pay the price with conflict later.
“President Buhari knows this as do African democratic leaders across the content. In fact, leaders around the world from Africa to Europe are waking up to the need for massive investments in African youths, to harness their positive energy and prevent future instability.”
Dangote and Bono had visited Maiduguri, the Borno state capital and other parts of the state where they learned about severe malnutrition crisis which the North East region is facing.
ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organization of more than seven million members who are taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable diseases, particularly in Africa. ONE’s Make Naija Strong is being spear headed in Nigeria by singer Waje and is also backed by Dangote. [myad]
Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state in the 2015 election, , Dr. Dakuku Peterside has described the murder of a prominent lawyer in the state, Barrister Ken Atsuwete as the deadliest in the series of political killings that have been going on in the state.
Peterside, who condemned in strong terms, the gruesome murder of the lawyer, in s statement, said that the killing of the prominent Activist, Political Commentator and Lawyer is the deadliest of several politically motivated killings in Rivers State.
The politician who is the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), declared: “I condemn in the strongest terms the barbaric, nasty and heinous assassination of Barrister Ken Atsuwete in Port Harcourt, Rivers State today. This is perhaps the deadliest of several politically motivated killings perpetrated in Rivers State in recent times.”
Peterside described Ken Atsuwete as a prominent Activist, political commentator, fiery critic of bad governance and Citizen Activist.
“Without any doubt, the killers of Ken Atsuwete have the objective of instilling fear in the rank of the opposition, stifle them and silence every voice of reason in Rivers State. The killing of Ken Atsuwete is perhaps the height of impunity which is now an everyday way of life in my home State of Rivers.
“I call on the Inspector General of Police, Director General of State Security Service and other national security agencies to conduct an extensive investigation into this heinous crime with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book and restoring sanity to our dear state.” [myad]
Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung has scolded the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for refusing to pay the five months salaries of the U-23 National team’s handler Samson Siasia while it employed a foreign coach that would be paid in dollars.
“You are owing him five months’ salaries and you have gone to employ a foreign coach and will pay him in dollars. It means you don’t like yourselves and nobody will sympathize with you.” The minister who spoke Siasia paid him a visit in his office in Abuja on Monday, directed the Secretary-General, Dr Mohammed Sanusi to ensure that Siasia gets the arrears of his five month’s salaries. “Please pay him his five months’ salaries. They said he has resigned but he just said that his contract expired after the Olympics.
“Please spare me the stress of talking about this salary issue or going to war with you on it. Please pay him and other coaches their outstanding salaries,” Dalung ordered. Siasia had visited the minister with his wife, Eunice, to thank him for his support to the Dream Team from Atlanta to Rio, where they won a bronze medal in the football event of the Rio Olympics and to officially inform him that his contract with the NFF has ended. The Secretary-General of the NFF, Dr Sanusi said that efforts are being made to pay the coaches their salaries. “We have held meetings and we are waiting for the money to drop. The money is already there in our account but we need to regularize the TSA procedures before we can claim the money.
“We are almost through with the process. Once that is concluded, we will pay them,” Sanusi assured. [myad]
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has confessed that no matter how prepared a country could be, handling the kind of crisis in the North-East with two million displaced people, including children, as a single country “would be irresponsible.”
Osinbajo, who spoke on Monday when he received members of the ONE campaign, led by the international Rock Star artist Bono, and Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Presidential Villa, Abuja said that global partnership to address the crisis through international advocacy is direly needed.
“It is very important that you chose to come and offer some partnership. This is great and we are pleased. Partnership is certainly the way to go.”
Vice President Osinbajo emphasized that global partnership should be coordinated and more focused on what is required to be done, adding: “for instance, in addressing the issue of malnourished children and not attempting to do too much things at once.
Earlier the Irish born artist, Bono said that he has visited some of the IDPs and that what he saw in the region was deeply disturbing.
“We want to be useful to you.”
Bono commended the social investment programmes of the Buhari administration saying: “we have heard of the incredible plans on the social investment funds.”
Members of the delegation also included former UK Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander, Professor Osinbajo and others. [myad]
The Controller of Prisons in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Daniel Odharo, has said that there was no crisis in Kuje Medium Security Prison, Abuja.
Odharo said that contrary to reports in media earlier on Monday that there were shootings in the prison by the prison officers, there was no prisoner that was injured.
According to him, the incidence that happened was as a result of some prisoners to allow their cells to be searched as usual, leading to what he called altercation between the warders and the inmates.
A statement signed by Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Prison Service in the FCT, Chukwuedo humphrey, said the situation was quickly brought under control.
The statement said: “At about 1000hrs on Monday 29th August, 2016, staff of Kuje Prison carried out a routine cell-search which is a part of the Prisons operational guidelines to prevent breach of security within and around the prisons.
“Some inmates tried to resist the exercise which led to an altercation between the search party and the inmates.
“This was quickly put under effective control. No prisoner was injured, no property damaged and the yard is calm and peaceful.
“The Controller of Prisons FCT Command, Odharo Daniel has assured that the security and well being of prisoners in the Federal Capital Territory will continue to be held as a priority task and will never be compromised.” [myad]
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Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state in the 2015 election, , Dr. Dakuku Peterside has described the murder of a prominent lawyer in the state, Barrister Ken Atsuwete as the deadliest in the series of political killings that have been going on in the state.
6 Takeaways From Buhari’s Participation In “TICAD 6” Nairobi, Kenya, By Garba Shehu
Tokyo International Conference on African Development, “TICAD 6” just ended in Nairobi, Kenya and in attendance were several African Presidents and Prime Ministers including our own Muhammadu Buhari and the co-convener of the conference, Shinzo Abe, the head of the Japanese government.
The TICAD seeks a win-win partnership between Japan and Africa. A key objective of the conference is to build up African ownership of its own vision of growth and development.
In furtherance of this, Japan seeks to differ with the other players on the continent by placing emphasis on high quality infrastructure that do more than job creation by transferring technology through the training of youth and women.
The conference held every five years from the time it started in 1993 until the last one in 2003 when it was decided that it should be convened every three years instead. The one that just finished is significant in the sense that this was the first time it took place in Africa. They met in Japan all the time in the past.
Another significant departure is the recognition of the role of the private sector in the economic take-off of the continent. In this respect, more than 100 Chief Executive Officers, CEOs from leading Japanese companies accompanied Prime Minister Abe. This is a clear indication that more and more Japanese companies are eying the African continent. A modest number of Nigerian business and state-owned enterprises were equally present.
From its start, Prime Minister Abe made known the intention of Japan to spend 10 Billion Dollars in the next twelve months and overall USD 30 Billion over a three-year period on areas key to African economies, targeting infrastructural projects such as roads, energy, ports, hospitals and training institutions. The money will partly be disbursed through the African Development Bank, ADB.
At the end of the conference, a statement tagged “Nairobi Declaration” was issued. Among its highlights is the launching of “Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security for Africa, IFNA.” This aims to bring African governments together to swiftly implement food and nutrition security policies and programs. There were important resolutions taken on economic diversification and industrialization; promotion of “resilient health system for quality of life” and measures for the promotion social stability and shared prosperity.
For Nigeria in particular, “TICAD 6” milestones include the important meeting between President Buhari and Prime Minister Abe, at which event problems militating against the inflow of Japanese investment into Nigeria were discussed and agreed upon.
Japanese companies had done a lot by way of investment in the past in Nigeria but there has noticeably been a drop in the last decade or two. Chiefly to blame is the problem of security, disguised in official discussions as “business environment.”
President Buhari used this meeting effectively in giving assurances that the problem is being addressed. Boko Haram terrorism is nearly gone and sabotage in the Niger Delta will soon be ended preferably through dialogue and if not, by force of arms.
Coming into close personal contact for the second time, the two leaders discussed the issues of trade and investment, health, peace and development of the continent. In addition, they discussed issues in diplomacy and international relations.
President Buhari’s statement at the Head of States’ round table meeting with business leaders underscored the serious efforts government is making to improve Nigeria’s notoriously bad business environment.
At this meeting, he announced the coming into place of a soon-to-be inaugurated “Presidential Enabling Business Council, PEBEC.”
He described it as an inter-ministerial council to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle business and economic activity to give way to the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria. It will be powered by the government but will be private-sector driven.
According to its vision, the PEBEC will make Nigeria one of the most attractive business destinations in the world. It will start with the modest effort of moving the country up 20 points in the World Bank ranking in the ease of doing business in the first year, taking it into the top 100 at the end of the four-year mandate of the current administration.
A third takeaway is on the sidelines of the TICAD where the Nigerian government delegation met a good number of big Japanese enterprises. Collectively and individually, these businesses expressed their intention of either coming in newly or expanding their participation in Nigeria’s private sector. The companies with varied interests in power, agriculture, automobile, motor cycles, textiles, financing and the service sector included the Honda Manufacturing (Nigeria) Limited, representing Honda Motor Co. Ltd; Japan Tobacco Inc., Marubeni Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation.
Others included Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Toyota Tsusho (Nigeria) Ltd., an affiliate of Toyota Tsusho Corporation, West African Seasoning Co. Ltd., affiliate of Ajinomoto Co. Inc., and Japan External Trade Organization, JETRO.
At these meetings, they explored the scope for the incentive packages the Nigerian government will give them so as to deepen and expand their investments. These included export rebates, access to Foreign Exchange, land, interest rates, transparency in business regulation and favourable regulatory structure.
The fourth important takeaway is the formation of a new group KENSA made up of industry leaders on the continent, Kenya representing East Africa, Egypt for North Africa, South Africa for the South and Nigeria, from West Africa.
The four countries agreed to consolidate their quadrilateral grouping initiated at the 19th July UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) meeting and decided to expand business and trade between the four of them, inject impetus into the CFTA, the African Union-inspired free trade agreement among African countries and to coordinate their positions on trade and investment inside and outside Africa.
Fifth, Nigeria and Kenya seized the opportunity of the meeting of their leaders to not only strengthen bilateral relations but to follow up on the achievements of the State Visit to Nairobi by President Buhari earlier this year.
From the time of the visit, both countries have seen a growing impetus for trade and investment between them. Kenya which discovered oil lately is picking lessons from Nigeria’s vast experience in oil and gas. Nigeria is learning from Kenyan experience in managing animal grazing. There are efforts on both sides to share experience and promote private sector participation in trade, cooperatives, micro finance, cotton farming and palm oil processing.
Sixth, under the auspices of the Bank of Industry and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council NIPC, several memoranda of understanding, MOUs were signed between Nigerian parties and their foreign counterparts. From many of these, investments and jobs will follow.
On the President’s delegation were the Ministers of Agriculture, Health, Budget and National Planning, and Industry, Trade and Investment.
There were also the National Security Adviser, NSA and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, NIA.
Members of the delegation expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the conference and the side engagements.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. [myad]