Diplomatic Channel Archives - Page 21 of 112

Nigeria and Morocco Strengthen Ties with Gas Pipeline & Fertilizer Agreements

Nigeria and Morocco strengthened their business relationship by signing two bilateral agreements in Rabat, Morocco at the palace of King.

The first agreement was the Joint Initiative on the Morocco –Nigeria Gas Regional Pipeline.

Tagged “The Wonder of Africa” the pipeline project has historical significance because it is designed by Africans for Africans with a direct impact on 300 million people through the speeding up of electrification projects in West Africa; thus serving a basis for the creation of a competitive electricity regional market.

The scope of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), was to determine the modalities of undertaking a feasibility study and a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study relating to a gas pipeline from Nigeria to Morocco.

It also specified equal partnership in governance, management and financing of the project. The timeline for both studies is two years from the date of signing. Interested third party countries will be allowed to join.

The second bilatéral agreement between Nigeria and Morocco was on the Second Phase of the Fertiliser Initiative.

The first phase was the supply of a cargo of phosphate by Morocco to Nigeria after eight weeks of its signing.

This supply led to the resuscitation of 11 blending plants which produced about 1.3 million tonnes of fertiliser; creation of 50,000 (direct) and 150,000 (indirect) jobs while farmers have access to the quantity of fertiliser they need.

The second phase will enable the maximisation of local fertiliser production through the creation of platform for basic chemical products, secure the Nigeria’s market’s fertiliser supply for competitive prices and reinforce local distribution channels.

According to the Foreign Minister of Morocco, Nasser Bourita, who presented the broad guidelines of the projects, the signing of the agreements reflects the shared vision of the two leaders, President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, and King Mohammed VI of Morocco in favour of a sustainable, active and solidarity based joint development for Africa.

Both projects were initiated during the Moroccan leader’s visit of the king to Nigeria in December, 2016.

The Nigeria delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyeama, and had the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe, his counterpart in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, the Governor of Jigawa State and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fertiliser, Abubakar Badaru.

Actionaid & ATBU Provides Free Cancer Tests To 100 Women

About 100 women have benefitted from free cancer tests/screening offered by Actionaid Nigeria in partnership with the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Teaching Hospital Bauchi in Bogoro and Kirfi Local Government Areas of Bauchi State.

A medical team led by Consultant Gynecologist, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Dr. Habiba Ismail, conducted breast and cervical cancer screening/test in five communities in Bogoro and five in Kirfi LGA of Bauchi State.

Addressing journalists during the exercise, Ismail disclosed that selection of the beneficiaries was done in a most transparent manner as women who were most vulnerable were first offered the opportunity to be screened while several others went home disappointed as they could not afford cost of screening.

She implored women, particularly those of child bearing age not to toy with their health but to endeavour to ascertain their health status through periodic medical check-up, warning that both breast and cervical cancer posed serious threat to women’s lives.

Ismail recalled that when similar exercise took place in Bauchi last December at the ATBU Teaching Hospital, majority of the 1,100 beneficiaries came from the state capital saying Actionaid/Fahimta’s partnership with the ATBU Teaching Hospital to extend the cancer screening to women in the rural areas was most commendable.

In her remarks, the Executive Director, Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative Bauchi, Hajia Maryam Garba said her organisation, with support from Actionaid Nigeria believed that such humanitarian gesture should be extended to thousands of women in the rural areas especially Fahimta’s focal local government areas.

The free cancer testing and screening were conducted in Lomen-Fulani, Tubule, Kwagal, Dankwa and Zindigawo all of Kirfi LGA. While in Bogoro LGA, Mbal, Gizaki, Dambar, Ungwar Rimi and Gobbiya benefited from the exercise which cost Actionaid Nigeria about 200,000 Naira.

335 Foreign Nationals Granted Nigerian Citizenship

A total of 335 foreign nationals have been granted citizenship by the Federal Government of Nigeria after statutory clearance and due diligence by the relevant security agencies.

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau,‎ who presented the certificates of citizenship to the recipients, charged them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria.

Mr. Dambazau, in his remarks, said that 335 applicants were approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in January, out of the over 500 foreigners that applied.

He explained that 245 of the foreigners approved were granted citizenship by‎ naturalisation while 90 were by registration. The second group had mainly foreigners married to Nigerians.

“Let me say that application for the Citizenship of Nigeria which can be by Naturalisation or Registration is provided for in Chapter 3, Sections 26 and 27 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’’ the minister explained.

The minister said the approval was part of the government’s effort on the “Ease of doing business in Nigeria” and boosting Nigeria’s image in line with international best practice.

He tasked the new citizens to be of good conduct, respect the rights and customs of their communities and contribute to the development of Nigeria.

Mr. Damabazau said the last time such ceremony was conducted was in December, 2013 and pledged to ensure its sustenance on an annual basis for proper scrutiny.

Recipients include nationals from Rwanda, Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, China and some African countries, most of whom are business moguls who have been operating in Nigeria for years.

The Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) are charged with the responsibility of processing applications for Naturalisation from foreign nationals who have stayed/lived in Nigeria for a minimum of 15 years and those by Registration who are mainly married to Nigerians.