The Nigerian Senate has called on the International Community to support its efforts to reposition and grow the economy.
Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki made this call during a delegate’s bilateral meeting at the just concluded meeting of the 4th United Nations International Conference for Heads of Parliaments in New York.
“I want to use the opportunity of this bilateral meeting of UN delegates to call on International Community, particularly Germany and France to support Nigeria’s effort at repositioning it’s economy,” he said.
Members of the delegation were led by the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, as well as the Chairman of the Senate Adhoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Andy Uba (Anambra South).
In a statement made available to DAILY POST on Friday by the Media Adviser to the Senate President, Saraki in his first bilateral meeting with his German counterpart, Volker Buffier, Minister – President of Hesse, stressed the need for Nigeria and Germany to work harmoniously in order to increase their trade volumes.
He stated that the present administration in Nigeria was concerned about shrinking revenue from oil and hence the need to diversify the economy through creation of global partnerships and attraction of direct foreign investments.
“Nigeria needs the support of the International Community to grow and reposition the economy made worse by the dwindling price of oil at the international market,” the Senate President said.
He also solicited for the cooperation of Laurence Dumont, the Socialist Deputy of Calvados and the Vice-president of National Assembly of France to enact laws that would help repatriate illicit funds that were moved outside Nigeria so it can be channelled into the productive means for growth of the economy.
“I want to reiterate the need for international support and enabling laws to help Nigeria repatriate illicit funds that were moved out of Nigeria through corrupt practices, so that it will help boost the economy which the present administration was doing its best”, Saraki stated.
The Senate President noted that over the years, Nigeria and France have enjoyed strong relationship at various levels and that it was time for the parliaments of both countries to collaborate in more socio-economic areas.
He also commended the French government for planning regional approaches to combat terrorism, while saying that the meeting of parliamentary heads came at the right time, as such meetings provide Nigeria with new opportunities to press the reset button with many countries in the international community.
Comments