Daily Independent Online.
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Monday, June 14, 2004.
G-8: Obasanjo lauds African leaders input
BY Shola Ogunode
Aviation
Reporter
President Olusegun Obasanjo has commended
the efforts of African leaders at the just concluded G8 meeting held in the
United States, saying they have achieved the best for Africa.
Addressing aviation correspondents at the
Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja while on a visit to Lagos shortly
after his return from the meeting, President Obasanjo said, “Africa was
well represented by its five leaders of Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa Algeria,
and Senegal.
Prior to the G8 meeting, African leaders
had solicited for debt relief and made it the top priority at the meeting. On
this, Obasanjo disclosed that “African leaders have achieved the best for
Africa at the meeting”
Meanwhile, an industrialist and Chairman,
Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who was part of the
president’s entourage, however, said more than debt relief, Nigeria
needed security.
Dangote argued that when the problem of
security is tackled squarely, it would lure investors into the country, thereby
improving the economy. “By this, one way or the other, we are going to be
out of debts,” he stressed.
He maintained that in as much as the
Federal Government has not relent its efforts at ensuring a secured work
environment, the private sector also has a major role to play.
“Government has been doing its best,
but don’t expect any business to be without headaches. We should do
something ourselves, a lot of companies are not doing the right things, we
should all start helping to keep a safe work environment. By doing this,
foreign investors would have the assurance and confidence to come and invest in
Nigeria,” he said.
Collaborating the need for public
participation in the economy, especially in the transport sector, Lagos State
Governor Bola Tinubu who was on hand to welcome the president, also called for
a more organised transport system.
Tinubu reasoned that when the nation
achieved a well-organised transport system, it would invariably reduce the
consumption of petroleum, thus helping to address the problem of incessant
strikes and protests over increment of petroleum products.
“When we have an organised public
network transport system, I wouldn’t need to drive my car, you too may
not need to drive your car, and so, we would have a drastic low consumption of
petrol and we would be able to focus on repairing the refineries, Tinubu
explained.
