Date Published: 10/29/09

Bankole seeks equity in Nigeria-South African relations

Dimeji Bankole

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon Dimeji Bankole has called for a balanced between Nigeria and South Africa in the area of socio-economic relations.

Making the call during an interactive visit to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, RSA in Cape Town as part of the 10 Th anniversary celebration of South Africa-Nigeria Bi-National Commission, BNC, the speaker said that since the establishment of the Commission ten years ago the relations between South Africa and Nigeria has been lopsided in favor of South Africa in the area of business, consular and diplomatic affairs.

“ Since the establishment of the Bi-national Commission, we have seen many South African companies getting licenses for business and posting good balance sheets from their business in Nigeria but what we have with Nigerian companies trying to make in road into the  South Africa economy is delays in getting licenses and delay in actualizing mutually beneficial business opportunities” Bankole stated.

He said that the parliament of both countries should work together to reverse this trend after a decade of the commission adding that with the two countries working in unison much economic development can be  achieved not only for the two countries but the whole of Africa.

Bankole ,who noted that the role of Nigeria in Liberating South Africa from the clutches of apartheid decried the recent wave of xenophobia where other Black Africans particularly Nigerians were attacked adding that while South Africa had apologized, the two parliament must work together to prevent a reoccurrence and eliminate the ugly phenomenon in the spirit of African brotherhood.

The speaker had led the chairmen of House Committee on Defence, Hon Oluwole Oke, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Hon Sada Soli, Aviation Hon Bethel Amadi and Hon Samson Positive of Industry to deliberate on these areas with their counterpart from South Africa.

While receiving the Nigerian speaker, Hon Maxwell Sisulu, the speaker of the Parliament of South African parliament said the celebration affords both parliaments opportunity to establish formal relations as hitherto in the history of the Bi-national Commission it was strictly the executive arms of both nations that were involved.

He said the parliament of both countries should work together in the interest of the people they represents adding that discussions of the inter committees meeting will centre on defense, police, women affairs and climate change for which Africa has decided to speak with one voice at the international arena