Nigeria’s Vice President, Namadi Sambo has expressed the deep concern of government over the Boko Haram insurgency, the kidnap of the Government Secondary School girl-students in Chibok Borno state and the coordinated efforts to end the menace.
The Vice President was speaking when the Canadian Minister of International Development & La Francophonie Christian Paradis paid him a courtesy call in his office
Sambo noted the continued excellent relationship between Nigeria and Canada and stated that the issue of security, maternal and Child welfare, Power& Solid Minerals development, conduct of free, fair and transparent election in 2015, were in the front burner of the administration’s Transformation Agenda. He added “Government is doing everything possible to ensure the safe release of the kidnapped school girls in Chibok”
The Vice President admonished Nigerians that as we approach elections, we should not play politics with serious matters of state such as security and pleaded for support and assistance from Canada in areas of surveillance equipments and other vital security hardware that would enhance Nigeria’s capacity in addressing insurgency. He also craved for support in addressing other international crises such as those of Southern Sudan, Kenya and Mali just to mention a few.
Sambo expressed his happiness on the strengthening of bilateral relations between both countries which document was to be signed same day.
He assured the international Community that, like the 2011 election, the 2015 election would be free, fair and transparent as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was working round-the-clock to ensure success of the exercise. He also assured the Canadian envoy that the Anti-Gay Right Act was not enacted to violate the rights of any Nigerian and that Nigerians are seeking for asylum in Canada on violation of their fundamental human rights were doing so on false claims noting that the religious nature of Nigerian society was responsible for the enactment of such a law.
On solid mineral development, the vice president said the sector, which hitherto was dormant has been geared to be able to fully explore our mineral resources.
He directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, the supervising Minister of National Planning, Bashir Yuguda and the Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada Ojo Madueke to liaise with Canadian institutions that were ready to partner and support Nigeria in developing her extractive industry.
On the post MDG’s new goals, the vice president assured of government’s will to ensure that the maternal and child welfare was part of the new definitions.
Earlier, the Canadian Minister of International Development & La Francophonie Christian Paradis had remarked on collaboration between Nigeria and Canada in fighting terrorism, strengthening bilateral relations on major issues, foreign investment agreement and on the long-standing partnership on the maternal and child welfare to ensure that the most vulnerable people were reached.
He also remarked on the preparation of February 2015 elections and the need to collaborate to ensure the success of its conduct, while also noting the Same-Sex Law which he posited should not be used to affect people’s fundamental human rights and the need to ensure that the mining sector was a blessing to the people.
Present at the meeting were Aminu Wali Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bashir Yuguda supervising Minister of National Planning, Ojo Madueke Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Perry Calderwood Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria; Lise Fliatrault Assistant Director Minister, Africa Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; Margaux Stanstny Director of Communications and Idee Inyangudor Director of Policy and Stakeholder Relations Office of the Minister of International Development and la Francophonie amongst others.
