Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday alleged that some international collaborators were hiding in secret jurisdictions to encourage corruption.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke during a forum tagged, High-Level Roundtable on Corruption, Migration, Bridging Africa’s Infrastructural Gap for Sustainable Development at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The forum was organised by the New Partnership for Africa Development/the African Peer Review Mechanism.
Buhari said checking the menace of corruption would create major sources of funding for developmental programmes and projects for African economies.
He expressed regret that huge amounts of funds were still being squirreled out of the continent.
He said, “It is still worrisome considering that billions of dollars, great talents and professionals are continually drained out of the continent through various corrupt activities thus causing poor investment inflows, undermining the rule of law, stifling trade, worsening macro-economic conditions and escalating level of poverty in our countries.
“These detestable practices are being perpetrated by some international collaborators hiding in secret jurisdictions.”
Buhari, however, expressed delight that efforts are being made by African leaders to ensure greater transparency and accountability in government business, fostering regional integration as well as creating enabling environment for the youth.
He added, “We must adopt laws, regulations and policies that encourage transparent financial transactions, youth and women’s empowerment programmes as well as establishing good infrastructural links among member states towards sanitising the continent of these ills.”
He described the New Partnership for Africa’s Development as a strategic framework document designed for the “socio-economic development of Africa and a policy framework to address our economic and social challenges.”
…blames youth migration on climate change
Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
President Muhammadu has identified climate change as one of the reasons Nigerian youths embark on illegal migration to Europe.
He listed other causes of illegal migration from developing to developed countries to include lack of security, education and healthcare among others.
According to a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke on Thursday while receiving Mr. Toni Iwobi, of Nigerian origin who is the first Blackman ever to be elected senator in Italy.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly holding in New York.
Iwobi met with Buhari along with a high-powered team from the Italian Senate.
The President said, “Climate change has had negative impact on a big country like Nigeria.
“That is why our youths often defy the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea, to try and get to Europe. It is a problem that needs to be solved.”
Buhari also congratulated Iwobi who was elected in March this year, on the platform of the far-right League Party.
While also congratulating Italy, the President said Iwobi’s election showed the advanced respect of Italians for human beings, in spite of colour, saying it was very impressive.
The team from Italy discussed issues like illegal migration and how it could be curbed through investments in Africa, recharge of the Lake Chad via inter-basin water transfer, among others.
“Africa doesn’t need charity, but collaboration to develop,” Iwobi declared.
The Italian Senate delegation plans to visit Nigeria soon.
In another development, Buhari has pledged that Nigeria will always live up to its financial commitments to the Economic Community of West African States in order not to be seen as “big for nothing.”
President spoke in his capacity as the chairman of ECOWAS while receiving briefing from the President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Brou, in New York on Thursday.
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