By Abbanobi Eku Onyekachi
Nigeria’s 10th Senate has sought Nigeria’s collaboration with Germany in the areas of security and power, to enhance the socio-political development of Nigeria. The red chamber also recently through its committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, summoned Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Olayemi Cardoso to appear before it on Tuesday next week on state of economy and free flow of Naira at the forex market.
The senate made the call to the German government when the Senate President Godswill Akpabio led some of his colleagues to receive in courtesy, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Gunther, in his office on Wednesday.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Media, Mr Jackson Udom, Akpabio made the call in the area of partnership and guidance from Germany in the area of security and power generation. He said that there was no doubt that Nigeria would enjoy a very robust relationship with Germany, adding that he saw a much better relationship between Nigeria and Germany under her tenure as the Ambassador.
Stating further, Akpabio said that Nigeria wanted to improve on the existing relationship between Nigeria and Germany, even as he promised that Nigerian Parliament would be very glad to join the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to improve on that relationship. He went on to say that anything they need to do in terms of legalizing or in terms of legislation to make most of the policies and programmes that she is embarking on with the government possible, would be done, adding that they want more German companies to join those that were already in Nigeria.
Sen Akpabio therefore said that they were taking the security in Nigeria very seriously, with the belief that with more companies coming in to establish in Nigeria, and creating more employment opportunities, a lot of youths would be gainfully employed. He also appealed to Germany to take more active part in resolving most of the war in the crises prone areas, such as the Ukraine and Russia imbroglio and the current situation in the Gaza.
Responding, the German Envoy assured his hosts, of the commitment of Germany to assisting Nigeria to overcome its security and power challenges, even as she added that Nigeria and Germany being the largest economies and population in their respective continents, need to come together in their peoples’ interest.
“The Siemens’ energy project is often mentioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I hope this may be our small contribution to improving electricity in the country. Germany is very active in so many areas like climate change and energy, she stressed.
The security situation in Nigeria, she went on is worrisome to Germany as well as Nigeria, just as she informed that they have taken it up due to its Importance and prerequisite for socio- economic development, peace and human development.
On the summon of the CBN governor, the Committee Chaired by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru ( APC Lagos East) , met recently when Naira plummeted to N1,520 to a US dollar and resolved to summon the CBN governor on way out.
After the meeting held behind closed door, Senator Abiru said the state of the economy, especially the inflation index was of great concern to the law makers, saying: “We have held a meeting this afternoon essentially to focus on the direction of the Nigerian economy. We are all living witnesses of what is going on. Underlining the major issue of the economy is the way the inflation index has been and of course it is a major concern to us.
“We have deliberated among ourselves. Critical issues were addressed and we believe that the next line of action is to summon the governor of the Central Bank on Tuesday at 3 O’clock to brief us properly on the state of the economy. That we have resolved and will communicate to the governor of the Central Bank after which we will have further communication with members of the press.”
