The Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, in the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory, FCTA, Abdullahi Adamu Candido has commended the fifty years old bilateral ties between Nigeria and China which had helped in engendering sustainable economic growth and development and an enduring legacies celebrated by the two countries.
Speaking at a public lecture organised by the Institute of Legislative Studies, University of Abuja at the weekend to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of Nigeria-China relations, the AMAC Chairman expressed optimism that given the fruitful friendship that exists between them, it was safer to assert that the best of opportunities is yet to come.
The public lecture themed – “Celebrating 50th Anniversary between Nigeria and China: Achievements, Opportunities and Challenges”, highlighted the diplomatic ties between the two countries in the last few decades which have revolutionalised diplomacy in Africa while promoting enduring unity among the two countries.
Candido recalled with appreciation, China’s magnanimous interventions not only in terms of financial aid, but in the area of healthcare. In retrospect, he cited the prompt response of the Chinese Government in contending with historic disease outbreaks such as malaria, ebola and recently, the Corona virus pandemic. He described such gestures as ,”benevolent, rewarding, and highly commendable”.
Given the cosmopolitan and heterogenous nature of the Area Council, Candido urged the Charge’d’Affairs of the Chinese Embassy to fine-tune its policies to include local authorities such as AMAC.
He emphasized the mutual relationship that exists between the two countries which has helped a long way in tackling social and technical shortfalls experienced in different sectors.
He urged China to concentrate more in providing technical support, capacity building, scholarships and basic infrastructures that would transform the rural areas into sprawling urban centres.
He noted that as a city Council with lots of rural dwellings, the bulk of the various assistance and interventions coming from China should be rural-driven to mitigate the enormous challenges faced by rural dwellers.
Abundant human and natural resources
Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah lamented over Nigeria’s nonchalance in exploiting the abundance of human and natural resources especially in the area of tourism to full advantage.
Professor Na’ Allah commended China for taking advantage of its population which has comparatively catapulted the country into a robust economic and technological giant.
He believed that with the spirited efforts of successive Chinese governments and the cooperation of its citizens, China could eventually overtake world economic giant, the USA from number two to number one economically vibrant nation in the world.
On his part, the Charge’d’Affairs of the Chinese Embassy, Mr.Zhao Yong, said China is committed to the development of Africa and Nigeria will continue to be the hub of its investment and support.
Opportunities for closer ties
Earlier in a welcome remark, the Director of the Institute, Associate Prof. Ghali Sheriff espoused on the sheaves of harvest the ties have bequethed both nations especially, in the areas of cultural exchange programmes, educational aid, technical support and sholarships.
He stressed that the University of Abuja have closely collaborated with the Chinese Embassy in terms of technical and scholarship support.
Dr. Sheriff hoped that the workshop would, among other things, be pivotal to creating healthier relations between the two countries as well as proffer invaluable contributions towards reinventing the relationship through sustainable and empirical-based suggestions.
Four resource persons presented papers expected to form a policy document that would further embolden the duo’s bilateral ties and create more understanding among them.
Emmanuel Ukoh
