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Tag: Bernhard Schlagheck

  • 2019: INEC cannot afford to disappoint – Yakubu

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral  Commission, (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has said that the commission cannot afford to disappoint Nigeria and the rest of the World in the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

    Yakubu therefore gave an assurance of an improved conduct of the  forthcoming general elections, saying that it will be an improvement of the 2015 polls.

    He spoke on Thursday when he receive in audience the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck and German Secretary of State Walter Lindner at the Commission’s headquarters, Abuja.

    He said the commission was determined not just to repeat the feat attained in the 2015 polls but to improve on it to further affirm the that the last general poll was not a fluke.

    He said: “We cannot afford to disappoint Nigerians, we shall not disappoint the international community. Each time we have visitors like you we have been encouraged.

    “We are aware that the eyes of the world are on Nigeria for the reasons you have mentioned and more.We are also aware that in 2015 Nigeria conducted elections that were commended around the world. We have been beneficiary of the elections. Each time we travelled on election observation around the world, not only to praise the achievements of Nigeria in 2015, but wish to learn on the experience of Nigeria.”

    He further added, “What Nigeria achieved in 2015 and what we hope to achieve in 2019 is not just in the handiwork of what you see in the commission, but also the commendation we received from the international community. So we appreciate these supports and I want to assure you that we will not let the world down.

    “What happened in 2015 is certainly not a fluke, we hope 2019 will be a further affirmation of maturity of Nigeria democracy.”

    Read Also: INEC’s anti-vote buying app

    He commended the support of the German government and development partners for their support to INEC and the ECONEC members, stressing that the commission was not unmindful of the interest of the international community on elections.

    He said: “It is 36 days today from the 2019 election; already the long term observation mission of the EU is in Nigeria for the election, this is a further affirmation of the interest of the international community on elections.”

    Earlier, Germany Secretary of State, Lindner reminded INEC that in 2015 Nigeria conducted election that was an example to the African Continent and the entire word,  which will be the standard with which the 2019 general elections would be measured.

    He charged the Commission to be neutral so as to guarantee free and fair elections.

    Lindner noted that Nigeria being the economic power house of Africa with over 200 million people, Germany and the rest of the world are interested in the political stability of the country.

    He stated that whatever happens in Nigeria negatively has repercussion for the whole world and promised support to the nation’s electoral process.

    He said: “Nigeria is the biggest country in Africa; it is the economic power house.  It has 200 million people.  It has the dimension of Germany and France together. That is how big you are. You are heavy weight giant in the continent.

    What ever happened in Nigeria has very important repercussion on the rest of the continent and I will say on the rest of the world because Nigeria is a very important country seating on a lot of wealth, oil and natural resources.

    “So the way we handle public stability, political stability and economic challenges will be closely watched anywhere, everywhere in the world.

    “You have important elections coming up. Last election has been an example in the continent and also around the globe, for how you do political transition peacefully.

    “2015 is in the back of every politician mind around the world. So the standard is there. Of course you will be measured against the standard, wether the same, I will not say transition because it depend on the outcome of the election, but the same peacefulness will reign in Feb. and you have very important role to play there.

    “If things go well people take it for granted that is an easy election. Things are a bite more tense, people look at you; that is where you coming into the game and you have to be the guarantor of free and fair credible elections. “He later told journalists that “After good talks with the chairman I must say we left the country with a lot of confidence and this will be the case.

    “This electoral commission is in good hands; nevertheless it is always good to see what is coming up as challenges. We can predict what is happening and sure whatever happens your skill will guide your colleagues through in times to come.”

  • Credible poll best APC can give Nigerians in 2019 – Secondus

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), Prince Uche Secondus, has said that the best that the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) can give to Nigerians in 2019 is to conduct one-man one-vote general elections.

    Secondus said this when he received the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Bernhard Schlagheck, who paid a courtesy call on the party’s national leadership on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Secondus attributed lack of free and fair elections as one of the major causes of crisis in Africa.

    “When citizens are deprived of their right to vote that will generate crisis that might be difficult to control.

    “Nigeria is an important country in the continent of Africa.

    “The best we can give to our people is election that will be transparent, election that will be credible, election that both local and international community will welcome.

    “So, we urge the governing APC that the best they can give this country is to offer one  man, one vote.

    Secondus said that Ekiti governorship election scheduled for July would be a test for the APC administration.

    Secondus urged the international community to prevail on the APC administration to ensure free and fair elections.

    Secondus, however, said that the PDP had embarked on two major platforms; namely generation next and rescue mission, to protect the party ahead of 2019 general elections.

    He explained that generation next was to ensuring mentoring for the youths, while the rescue mission aimed at salvaging the country.

    Speaking earlier, Schlagheck, said he was in PDP as part of a tour of all political parties in Nigeria ahead of the 2019 polls.

    The ambassador added that his report would be sent to his country, Germany.

    NAN

  • Germany pledges intervention in conflict mitigation in Nigeria

    Germany pledges intervention in conflict mitigation in Nigeria

    The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Bernhard Schlagheck has pledged to collaborate with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution ( IPCR ), to strengthen peace building and other interventions to mitigate conflicts in Nigeria.

    According to a statement by the IPCR Media Officer, Michael Abu, on Wednesday, Schlagheck made the pledge in Abuja  when he visited the Director-General of  the IPCR, Prof. Oshita  O.  Oshita.

    Schlagheck who expressed concern over the spread of dysfunctional conflicts in the country, expressed his willingness to support all conflict management activities especially as they relate to the 2019 general elections.

    Oshita in his remarks said that the Institute in collaboration with  the German Embassy  would embark on series of intervention towards peaceful 2019 elections.

    He said that IPCR was open to creditable organisations and entities for collaboration for peace building activities including various interventions for conflict resolution.

    The DG said that the institute in collaboration with the  Embassy  would train journalists on peace journalism in the monitoring and coverage of elections.

    “IPCR will train of a number of media practitioners from all the geopolitical zones of the country on peace journalism and conflict-sensitive reporting,” he said

    The DG said that the intervention would also include election conflict management for Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and others handling various aspects of the election processes.

    He added that the Institute established the National Peace Academy  to build capacities in the country and  Africa to support the Infrastructure for Peace and to encourage the spread of peace ambassadors and practitioners.

    He said that the Institute was already putting up election conflict management programme, countrywide peace campaigns and sensitisation programmes to ensure peace during  the 2019 general elections.

    Oshita expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Chairman and members of a Governing Council for the Institute for the first time.

    He stated that through this, the Institute would be properly mobilised and supported towards fulfilling its mandate for peace promotion and conflict resolution in Nigeria.

    NAN

  • Germany, Nigeria trade volume shrinks to 3.5bn Euros  

    Germany, Nigeria trade volume shrinks to 3.5bn Euros  

    The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Bernhard Schlagheck, disclosed in Abuja on Monday that the volume of trade between Nigeria and Germany shrank to 3.5 billion Euros in 2016.

    Schlagheck in an interview said that the trade volume dropped by about 2.5 billion Euros from six billion Euros recorded in 2015.

    The envoy blamed the fall on the economic downturn in Nigeria, expressing his determination to work toward increasing the volume of trade between the two countries.

    He said that as part of efforts to deepen bilateral economic relations, the German Government was supporting market exploration missions by business delegations to Nigeria.

    Schlagheck said that Germany had committed millions of Euros to vocational training in Nigeria and was prepared to keep promoting the programmes.

    “The German Government has a whole range of activities in various states in this country and we have invested 50 million Euros in vocational training in Nigeria in a year.

    “We are doing a lot of other training in Nigeria. In various states, we have projects of German enterprises with some private partners.

    “So, we have whole lots of training to enhance capacity building in Nigeria.”

    Schlagheck said that a training session on technical facility management through Germany Dual Vocational Training (DVT) in partnership with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce had just been concluded in Abuja.

    According to him, DVT system is the commonest form of vocational training in Germany.

    The envoy explained that “dual” in this context meant a combination of practical, on-the-job training and theoretical education at a vocational school to ensure proper balance of theory and practice.

    The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Tony Ejinkeonye, also said that the training would impact on the fortunes of member companies as well as on the Nigerian economy.

    He said that the project started in March 2015, was initiated by the chamber and Giessen-Friedberg with a view to adding quality to vocational education in Nigeria.

    “The apprenticeship scheme is used widely in Germany and it has over the years contributed to the success story being recorded in that country’s manufacturing sector.’’

    NAN

  • FG, Germany sign 10m Euros polio aid agreement

    FG, Germany sign 10m Euros polio aid agreement

    The Federal Government and the Government of Germany on Wednesday signed a 10 million Euros aid agreement to eradicate polio in Nigeria.

    The agreement was signed in Abuja between Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama and the German Ambassador to Nigeria Mr Bernhard Schlagheck.

    Onyeama said that the 10 million Euros grant would facilitate Nigeria’s quest to totally eradicate polio in the country.

    He noted with concern that government’s efforts had some setbacks due to the activities of terrorism in the North Eastern part of the country.

    “I just have to take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to the government of Germany for this support.

    “As you know we have come very close to eradicating polio in the world, but you know there are still one or two issues.

    “The problem we have in the north east has exacerbate the situation and made it more difficult to eradicate” he said.

    The German ambassador expressed optimism that the grant would go a long way in achieving the desired goal.

    Schlagheck said: “Germany is to support Nigeria with 10 million naira to eradicate polio in Nigeria.

    “We have engaged with the government of Nigeria for some time mostly under the assistance of the WHO and we want to continue with our engagement`.

    “As I said together with government of Nigeria we had achieve some remarkable successes here in Nigeria, on some outstanding issues.

    “We want to increase and consolidate our engagement and that is actually what we just did, I hope very much that polio will be removed from the country before long”.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony was witnessed by representative of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA).

    The Director of Logistics, PHCDA, Iyabo Dara Dara in her remarks expressed the belief that Nigeria would soon be declared polio free.

    “I think in the next two to three years we should be polio free because we are spending almost one year now without any case of polio again.

    “I think this will go a long way in helping in activities that we have planned,” she said.

    NAN reports that on Sept. 25, 2015, the WHO declared Nigeria polio–free and was officially removed from polio endemic list.

     

     

  • Police need support – Idris

    The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Monday said the police need support in order to address the security challenges in the country.

    Idris stated this when German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, donated three Toyota Hilux vehicles presented by his home government to the Police at the Force headquarters in Abuja.

    The German government also disclosed its readiness to train more officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Speaking after the vehicles were handed over to the police, Idris said: “This is a show of the partnership between the police and the German Government.

    “The gesture is commendable, because they have been involved in improving our training schools and they are doing a good job by supporting us and ensuring that we provide the best training and good atmosphere.”

    “We need more support because Nigeria Police Force is a big organization. We are over 300,000 in terms of strength, spread over the length and breadth of Nigeria and we obviously need support from our foreign partners, friends and from other agencies of government in Nigeria.”