The Nation Newspaper

Tag: High Commissioner

  • High Commissioner-designate assures local manufacturers of export facilitation

    High Commissioner-designate assures local manufacturers of export facilitation

    Nigeria High Commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom (UK) Justice George Adesola Oguntade has assured local manufacturers, especially in the agro-allied firms, of his commitment to enhancing export of their produce.

    The envoy-designate said the facilitation of export promotion  was top on his list of measures to strengthen the long-standing  bilateral trading ties between the Commonwealth partners.

    Justice Oguntade, a patron of the Cosmopolitan Women’s Club, who was hosted to a reception in Lagos over his appointment, said despite the setback of insecurity precipitated by insurgency, his reign would regain the lost investment  confidence in Nigeria.

    He noted  that he would focus on relieving Nigerians of the rising hardship being encountered at the commission in England.

    “Being an ambassador to the United Kingdom for me is a great challenge in the sense that I’m going when there is a lot of suffering and hardship in the land and when we keep hearing strange stories from our embassy in England. I pledge that on my trip to England, the first thing I want to concentrate is to ensure that as many goods as possible are exported to Britain so that we may be able to reform our economy.

    “Those who know how to manufacture garri, cassava should go ahead because these are troubling times for Nigeria and we must collectively come together to save the country,” he said.

    British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria Laura Beaufils, who hoped for a stronger cooperation under Justice Oguntade’s reign, said the United Kingdom was particularly concerned about honing the skills and talents of Nigerian youths through its robust educational platform.

    She added that the UK would be relentless in leveraging the strength and huge potentials in Nigeria to support its  growth.

    “There are so many areas of cooperation. Business is long and the opportunities are endless but one that is particular to me is our youth. Young people. We are incredibly lucky in the UK to have so many incredible talented Nigerian young people that to our universities are testament of the talent that exist here in Nigeria. I hope that partnership in education, especially in tertiary education, continue under your leadership.  I look forward to working with you very closely,” she said.

    Hailing Justice Oguntade’s meritorious contribution to Nigeria’s judicial system since 1966, the  Cosmopolitan Women’s Club President, Chief Adeorike Durosinmi-Etti said Justice Oguntade would deliver the good mandate of defending the cause of Nigeria and Nigerians in the UK.

    Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce President Akin Olawore said the chamber would support the high commissioner-designate.

  • We will restore confidence in IDPs – Buhari

    We will restore confidence in IDPs – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said his administration would restore the confidence of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by fast-tracking their voluntary return, rehabilitation and reintegration into the society.

    The president gave the assurance when he received the outgoing Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Asharaf Abdelkader Salama at State House, Abuja.

    He commended Egypt for identifying with challenges confronting the country, especially the plight of IDPs, which he said had remained a topmost priority for the Nigerian Government.

    “The displaced persons want to go back to their homes. They want to resume their normal lives. They want to go back to the land, which they have not cultivated for over three years now.

    “We will work to restore their confidence, and also work on infrastructure, so that they can quickly resettle,” he said.

    The President noted that the bond of friendship between Nigeria and Egypt was very strong as demonstrated in their growing cooperation on regional and international issues.

    In his remarks, Salama, who spent four years in Nigeria, said he was the first foreign diplomat to travel by road from Maiduguri to Yobe, North Eastern Nigeria, last month.

    He told the President he was proud to have made the journey through an area once considered a stronghold of Boko Haram terrorists, following the successes recorded by the Nigerian military fighting insurgents in the region.

    He described the people of Nigeria as “friendly and generous’’, saying he hoped to be back in the country again.

    News Agency of Nigeria {NAN} reports that president Buhari also received the outgoing Ambassadors of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and Tanzania.

    During the audience with Ambassador Oubi Bachir of SADR, Buhari reiterated Nigeria’s support for Sahrawi people’s self-determination and independence.

    Amb. Bachir’s duty tour to Nigeria spanned eight years during which he served as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.

    On Tanzania, President Buhari told the High Commissioner, Daniel Ole Njoolay, that the East African country was fortunate to have a leader who cared so much for the less privileged in the society.

    The President said Tanzania was blessed with good land and gas, which could be used for the good people of the country.

    Ambassador Njoolay spent two years and eight months in the country.

  • 4,940 Nigerians studying in India, says High Commissioner

    4,940 Nigerians studying in India, says High Commissioner

    The Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Amb. Ajjampur Ghanashyam, has said that there were 4,940 Nigerian students studying in India while 27,890 Nigerians graduated from Indian institutions.

    He spoke yesterday in Abuja while featuring on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum.

    Ghanashyam said the huge number of Nigerian students in India was a testimony to the good diplomatic relationship between the two countries which, he said dates back to pre-colonial era.

    He said as developing countries with huge population it was important for Nigeria and India to maintain close ties with a view to sharing experience that would benefit the wellbeing of their peoples.

    Ghanashyam said there were 200 Indian companies in manufacturing, servicing and retail businesses in Nigeria, adding that 36 of them were into pharmaceutical products.

    On agriculture, he advised Nigerian farmers to embrace integrated farming to avoid losses that occasionally accompany farming single crops, pointing out that this had been the practice among Indian farmers.

    He said India was ready to share its experiences with Nigeria in the agricultural and industrial sectors as part of its contributions to boost Nigeria’s economy.

    On the automobile industry, the envoy urged Nigerian entrepreneurs to prioritise the manufacture of component parts, saying it would be difficult for them to compete with ‘big players’ in motor vehicle manufacturing.

    Ghanashyam said this was the approach Indian entrepreneurs adopted before going into full scale motor manufacturing.

    “Even, as at today, our greatest strength in the automobile industry is in the making of the components.

    “Do your research very well; ensure quality; even if you want to go into motor vehicle manufacturing, manufacture the cheapest ones, start with cheap cars”, he advised.

    On the alleged harassment of Nigerians resident in India the envoy said the Indian people have no problems with law-abiding Nigerians.

    He, however, blamed the few cases of harassment to media reports, saying that negative actions spread wider than positive ones.

    The high commissioner said it was time the media gave more publicity to the positive things Nigerians in India were doing and expressed optimism that with time things would change for the better.

  • Agbakoba wants Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa recalled

    Agbakoba wants Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa recalled

    HUMAN rights lawyer Dr. Olisa Agbakoba has said the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa should be recalled over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against foreigners.

    In a statement by his law firm in Lagos, Agbokoba condemned the attack, saying that the development could strain both countries’ relationship.

    “The Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa should be recalled; our foreign Minister should summon the South African Commissioner in Nigeria to convey our disappointment with the behaviour of some South Africans.

    “The South African Government must know that xenophobic behaviour of its people is not acceptable to Nigerians.

    “It will have the gravest consequences for Nigerian-South African relations; unless they stop their inexcusable behaviour, ” the statement said.

    The statement said there could be no excuse for the outrageous behaviour, especially in the context of good relations between South Africa and Nigeria.

    It noted that Nigeria’s support for South Africa toward their independence should not be rewarded with such treatment.

    “Nigeria stood by their South African brothers and sisters at their greatest hour of need during the apartheid years and this is no way to repay us,” It said.

    The statement expressed shock that President Jacob Zuma of South Africa had not made a clear statement, adding that the Nigerian Government’s response should be stronger.