Learn From Past Mistakes, Envoy Tells FG
From Okon Bassey in Port Harcourt
The Canadian government has advised the Federal Government to learn from the mistakes its made in the conduct of the last general election in the country in ensuring that the 2007 polls are hitch free.
The out-going Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Hon. Howard Strauss gave the charge at a forum organised by the Niger Delta Development Commis-sion (NNDC) to bid the High Commissioner farewell back to his country.
Strauss noted that the conduct of the last general elections in the country proved crtics of the Nigerian government wrong in its ability to conduct a successful elections from one democratic region to another.
"It is very interesting to observe the growth of democratic system in Nigeria; especially democartic transition from one region to another. Most people think, they could foil the election but it took place," he said.
The High Commissioner declared that "most people recognised that the local government election that took place recently could be done better and it is important that Nigeria draws lessons from those direction in order to ensure that the 2007 elections are good and everyybody feeling some improvement."
Strauss who said the Candian government has increased its present investment in Nigeria expressed optimism that democratic system in Nigeria has come to stay.
The envoy said his three years period in the country was very rewarding even as he gave kudos to the Federal Government for its economic policy and the fight against corruption.
"More, impressing now is the good movement on the economic side; and the issue of corruption which the government is prosecuting; there have been the NEEDS programme, deregulation of the down stream oil and gas sector which is causing pain but everybody recognised that something has to be done.
"The deragulation of the downstream oil sector, I know, will cause a lot of pains in the country but I strongly believe that the country is on the right track in doing that and it is important for us in economic development," Strauss emphesised.
Assuring Nigeria of her co-operation, the High Commissioner called on the people of Niger Delta to co-operate with the NDDC in the speedy development of the zone.
He maintained that investment by the Canadian government has penetrated and have started yielding results, indicating that for the past couple of months, at least six Canadians delegations had come to Nigeria to seek investment in drilling, education and telecommunication among other areas.
While speaking, the Chairman of NDDC, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu and the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Chief Timi Alaibe acknowledged that the tenure of Strauss in Nigeria witnessed speedy co-operation between the two nations on the various areas of interest.
The duo noted that the establishment of a council of the Canadian Commission in Port Harcourt, South-south zone of Nigeria was a better way of building a lasting relationship with the region.
Alaibe urged the Canadian High Commissioner to use his three years experience to market Nigeria and the Niger Delta positively to the outside world.
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