President Muhammadu Buhari’s foreign trips are not for ‘sightseeing’,
but justified by outcomes. This was the position of his Senior Special
Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.
Mr. Shehu who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics
explained that Nigeria’s economy needs the trips owing to President
Buhari’s personality globally and the desire of other presidents and key
business investors to show a willingness to do business with him.
President Buhari since May 30, has embarked on eight different trips
which include; Saudi Arabia, Japan, Burkina Faso, New York, South
Africa, Russia, Saudi Arabi, and the United Kingdom.
His most recent trip, a private one to the United Kingdom, according to
Mr. Shehu, is partly for vacation and also for work.
“The President’s trips are not sightseeing trips, they are justified by
outcomes. In each of the trips, we try to let Nigerians know what the
things the president has achieved; and so, we are making progress, the
economy needs the trips because much of it actually comes on account of
who the president is.
“They (investors) are looking at a serious man and are ready to do
business with him; I think Nigerians should comfort themselves in the
fact that they have a President who is respected around the globe and
the name of whom can fetch a lot of good things for Nigerians.
“He is on a private trip outside the country, partly on vacation, partly
at work. The constitution of Nigeria is very clear that 21 days is the
period of absence which cannot be justified,” he clarified.
Mr. Shehu added that President Buhari’s trip is only for 17 days, from
which he will be doing government work by signing an important bill for
the country from where he is.
On the Nigeria-Saudi Arabia, Strategic Council Mr. Shehu revealed that
the Federal Government will be appointing representatives made up of
businessmen and government officials who will sit down and agree on
investments based on priorities.
He stated that priority will be given to gas pipeline the Federal
Government has ensured that the construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano
(AKK) pipeline, which is a 614km-long natural gas pipeline be developed
by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“This council will start sitting in 2 months which in effect means that
we will be making the appointments in the coming days and they will
decide when this works will begin.
“It could be about refineries or some others, but the big thing we are
eyeing is the gas pipeline that will bring the enormous gas access in
the country; the government has approved the construction of the AKK
pipeline, that is; Ajaokuta, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and we will be looking
for money for that and all these would be high investments in oil and
gas and also non-oil sectors and the opportunities are enormous and it’s
for us to see which way to go.”
He explained further that the meeting with the leadership of the Saudi
Oil and Gas group, the country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, and the Public
Investment Fund, does not mean the deal will be done for free, despite
the massive wealth linked the Arab group.
“This is certainly not going to be free money when you are talking to
the Sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia with enormous powers. The
chairman can decide to put $5bn in a country in a month and they will be
investing, partnering, again, it’s a matter of time, the discussions we
will undertake will determine how we will go.”