FG To Partner India To Boost Power, Agriculture, Others In Niger-Delta

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani has said the federal government was ready to collaborate with the government of India on training, youth development and security of investments in the Niger Delta region.

Naija News understands that the minister said this while receiving the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Abhay Thakur, in Abuja.

Pastor Usaini said that the Niger Delta is suffering a lot of things, communities in the region are being submerged under the sea due to serious coastal problems. In every raining season, not less than ten to twenty communities are being lost in some states in the Niger Delta region due to flooding.

Usani commended the government of India for its numerous support for Nigeria towards human capital development in education, adding that Nigeria looked forward to further high-level engagements with India, especially in politics.

Usani called on the Indian High Commissioner to use his good office to see how his country, which he described as the largest democracy in the world, to advance Nigeria’s democracy.

In his remarks, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs Prof. Claudius Omoleye Daramola called on the Indian government to establish Indian hospitals in Nigeria, saying such will check medical tourism and help the less privileged Nigerians who may not have the opportunity to travel to India for medical treatments.

Earlier, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Abhay Thakur said there had been considerable growth in his country’s collaboration with Nigeria, saying that his country was committed to further collaboration on investments, power, agriculture and youth empowerment in the Niger Delta region.

“I had the privilege of receiving in the audience, the delegation of Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce recently and we discussed exchange of business opportunities, investments and operational maintenance of facilities as designed by business representatives of Niger Delta.”

He said his country had a capacity building programme tagged, “Indian Technical and Economic Corporation (ITEC) Programme” under which his country had received several representatives from Niger Delta region of Nigeria, adding that more youths in Nigeria, especially those from the Niger Delta region could tap from such a programme.

He said his country is committed to partner with Nigeria in the areas of politics, business and medical infrastructure in Nigeria.