Date Published: 07/16/09

Bankole attracts Turkish donor agency to Nigeria

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole has convinced the President of Turkey, Mr. Abdullah GUL, to locate the headquarter of its donor agency TIKA in Abuja, Nigeria in preference to Dakar in Senegal and one other country already on card to host the agency.

TIKA is a Turkish international development agency comparable to USAID and DFID of USA and UK respectively and its annual development assistance to African countries exceed 700million Euros (about $ 1 billion per annum).

Making the concession to locate the headquarters of TIKA in Nigeria when Bankole paid a courtesy call on the Turkish President at Ankara as part of his official visit to the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on the invitation of its Speaker, Mr. GUL said his agreeing to direct the committee working on the location of the agency to restrict their search to Abuja, Nigeria was based on the presentation by Bankole on the activities of the House of Representatives to ensure accountability and good governance in Nigeria since he became the Speaker as well as the enunciation of the economic programs of the administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua.

The Turkish President stated that Turkey is always desirous of establishing partnership with African nations without any strings attached adding that the establishment of a TIKA office is part of the efforts of building such partnership.

Earlier on, Bankole enunciated the 7- Point Agenda of President Yar’Adua with the hope that it will lead to the achievement of Vision 20/2020 aimed at making Nigeria one of the 20 top nations by the year 2020, adding that the House of Representatives have been providing legislative support for the realization of the agenda and vision.

Bankole disclosed that the House under him set up a committee on Donor Agencies to ensure that inflow of development aids to the country are monitored and accounted for as well as prevent duplication of projects for which funds have been appropriated adding that for now Nigeria is not asking for donations but partnership for mutual development.

He told the Turkish President that in pursuit of accountability and good governance, the House has been asking questions on how money it appropriated are spent adding that its efforts has also led to the return of millions of naira in unspent funds back to the treasury for re-appropriation.

Bankole also related the effort of the Federal Government in resolving the Niger Delta crisis with the latest effort being the granting of Amnesty to militants adding that it is hoped the crisis would soon be over.

The Speaker assured the Turkish President of Nigerians support for its aspiration to be on the United Nations Security Council adding however that Nigeria share similar aspiration and Nigeria support for Turkey should be reciprocated.

Earlier on the speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly at which instance Bankole officially visited Turkey Mr. Koksal Toptan stated that the assembly have already formed a Nigeria-Turkey Parliamentary Association with 25 members adding that the House should complement the effort by allowing members to join the association.

He said cooperation between legislatures who are representatives of the people have a way of forcing the hand of the executives of two sovereign nations to reach mutual agreements of development and peace issues.

The two Speakers signed a Bilateral Agreement on Nigeria-Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association with a pledge to assist and consolidate on the achievement of the visit.

The Speaker was accompanied on the three day visit by Hon Baba Sheu Agaie, Hon. Ita Enang, Hon. Sada Soli and Hon. Betty Apiafi.