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Nigerian envoy urges India to take advantage of President Buhari’s economic reforms

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Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, Maj.-Gen. Chris Eze (Rtd), has urged India to take advantage of the economic reforms embarked upon by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to strengthen its businesses in the country.

Eze made the call at an event in New Delhi to mark the 58 Independence Anniversary of Nigeria and 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Nigeria.

Nigeria is already India’s largest trading partner in Africa and Indian companies are now the second largest foreign investors in the Nigerian economy.

The High Commission had organised an event to celebrate Nigeria’s independence anniversary with the Nigeria community in that country on Oct. 1.

However, the celebration was shifted for diplomatic reasons.

The envoy said that Nigeria had reclaimed its position as the largest economy in Africa after the recession that she suffered in 2016 due to the collapse of oil prices.

“That reclamation is largely due to President Buhari reforms which among other successes increased our foreign reserves, restored macro- economic stability, kicked started the diversification of the economy.

“It has enabled Nigeria to rise 24 and 25 per cent respectively in two successive years in the World Bank Global Ease of Doing Business ranking.

“I am happy that Indian businesses are already present in Nigeria and I hope they will increase their presence in the Nigerian economy,’’ he said.

According to him, Buhari has achieved tremendous strides in the fight against corruption and his effort has earned him recognition in the Africa Union.

He, however, thanked the Indian government for inviting Buhari to visit the country due to the recognition of his purposeful and effective leadership.

Meanwhile, the Ghanaian High Commissioner to India, Mr Michael Oquaye congratulated Nigeria on the occasion, saying ” Ghana and Nigeria are one.

“Ghana has always taking a principle that we do not want Africa countries to be split, we are always on the side of Nigeria when they have any issue to discuss with Indian government,’’ he said

According to him, in term of Africa strategy, most countries from Asia and Europe tend to deal with Nigeria and Ghana as foremost partners.

In addition, he said the two countries had played vital role in ECOWAS progress and would continue to strengthen their ties with India.

Similarly, Ambassador-Designate of Gambia to India, Ms Jainaba Jagne congratulated Nigeria on the anniversary and wished the country success and peace in the upcoming 2019 elections.

Jagne said Gambia had always viewed Nigeria as a `big brother’, adding that her country had always seen Nigeria as a forward moving country.

“We always wish to emulate Nigeria in some policies so the country is our mentor and also a mentor to a lot of countries in Africa.

“Nigeria should be aware that we (Gambia) follow behind her in a lot of policies strategies and plan put in place by its government.

“Also, Nigeria is a host country for ECOWAS, the country should be aware that whatever she does, it is done in the name of ECOWAS,’’ she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 50 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) had been signed between the two countries since Nigeria-India diplomatic relations was established 60 years ago.

The India opened a diplomatic office which later became a High Commission in Nigeria in 1958, two years before Nigeria got her independence. (NAN)

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Gwagwalada residents attribute bad roads to poor drainage

Drainage
By Jacinta Nwachukwu/Uche Bibilari

Gwagwalada (FCT), Oct. 27, 2018 (NAN) A cross-section of residents of Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday attributed the dilapidated state of roads in the area to poor drainage system.

 

The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that the poor drainage system in the area was mainly responsible for clogged water channels and the resultant flooding of the roads.

 

Mr John Adejuwon, a medical doctor, said that for the roads to be in usable condition, water channels needed to be created just as the roads were being constructed.

 

“For a road to last long, there must be a gutter, if not, after the rain you will see water on the road and as cars keep plying the roads you will notice potholes on such roads,’’ he said.

 

Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Bello, a resident of old Kutunku, said that the old Kutunku road did not last up to a year because of poor drainage system.

 

He urged the Gwagwalada Area Council to cultivate the habit of evacuating waste on a daily basis in order to prevent the unnecessary accumulation of the materials for weeks.

 

He said that doing so would prevent the clogging water channels.

 

Bello also called for the sensitisation of residents to the need for them to manage disposable waste properly, saying that many of them were in the habit of dumping waste in drainage systems.

 

“Anytime it is raining you see people dumping their piled up waste into the gutters instead of them to dispose them at the provided locations.

 

“This is also one of the major reasons why flooding occurs in parts of the council.

 

“I think there should be sanctions on defaulters.

 

“More drainage systems and water channels should be constructed to avoid flooding,’’ he said.

 

Similarly, Mrs Lydia Ezike, a civil servant, told NAN that the attitude of many residents contributed to the clogging of water channels and drains as many of them were in the habit of disposing waste materials indiscriminately.

 

“The way some residents dispose their waste indiscriminately contributes to the blockage of some of the available drains in the council.

 

“During the rainy season all the waste materials find their way into the drainage system making it difficult for the free flow of water, a situation which results in flooding in parts of the council,’’ she stated.

She also called for the construction of more drains, where necessary, to aid the free flow of water.

 

Another resident, Mr Edozie Ezeanyika, said that the council needed to do a lot of work in the area of managing the drainage system in the area.

 

He said, “If the drainage system in the area is not given urgent attention, the entire area might experience serious flooding in due course.’’

 

He, therefore, appealed to the council Chairman, Mr Adamu Mustapha, to find a sustainable solution to the drainage system problem as it would go a long way toward making life less stressful for residents and other road users. (NAN)

JIN/UU/YEE

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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

 

 

 

Support

By Tukur Muntari

Birnin Kudu (Jigawa State), Oct. 27, 2018 (NAN) Women rice processors in Kafingana village, Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa have solicited support from Sasakawa Global 2000 in the form of loan to boost their capacity.

The Chairperson of the group, Malama Ladidi Haruna, made the call on behalf of the women on Saturday when the Country Director of Sasakawa Global 2000, Prof. Sani Ahmed-Miko visited the rice processing plant in the area.

“With additional support from Sasakawa, the association will diversify its business which will go a long way in enhancing the socio-economic status of our members,” she said.

She described Kafingana as one of the major rice producing areas in the state, saying that with additional support, the association will produce more of the commodity.

Also speaking, the Private Service Provider (PSP) in charge of maintaining the plant, Alhaji Sadiqu Abdu, said he had so far trained six mechanics and three operators to ensure effective maintenance of the two rice processing machines.

The machines, he said, were donated to the women rice processors by SG 2000 and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

According to him, no fewer than 1,000 tonnes of paddy rice are being produced in the plant.

He, however, promised to link the rice processors with markets as the two processing plants had the capacity to process one tonne of paddy rice hourly.

Earlier in his remarks, the District Head of Kafingana, Alhaji Nasiru Munkaila, had advised the women to make the best use of the opportunity provided by SG 2000 to improve the living standard of their families.

On his part, Ahmed-Miko urged the women to be more committed to promoting the business in view of the fact that women were among the most vulnerable in the society.

He assured the women farmers group that the organisation would continue to support them as long as they remained focused on achieving the desired objective.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SG 2000 team was in Jigawa in continuation of its media field day tour aimed at meeting with beneficiaries of its various intervention programmes.

The visit was also organised to enable SG 2000 to assess the success or otherwise of its various intervention programmes.