Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stressed the need for strengthening ties among African countries for sustainable development of the continent.
Wike, who made the call when he received the Ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, also stated that ECOWAS countries need to collaborate for the development of the sub-region.
“We will continue to strengthen our relationship. Luckily, our President is the Chair of ECOWAS, and so, we will do everything we can to see that our relationship is smooth, cordial and symbiotic,” he said.
He commended Cote d’Ivoire for taking steps to develop the plot allocated to its Embassy in Abuja, explaining that the FCTA had insisted that all allocated land must be developed as part of measures to check insecurity in the FCT.
“I thank you for developing the land that was given to you. The whole essence is for fighting insecurity. We do not want to leave certain areas for miscreants, and so we thank you for the cooperation,” he said.
On the issue of request for prompt development of land in Abuja, the nation’s capital city, the minister said, “the whole essence why we make development request is for fighting insecurity, we do not want to leave certain areas for miscreants, and so, we thank you for the support.
“So ,I’ll be glad when I see the proposal for us to see how we can strengthen relationship between Abuja and Yamoussoukro, which is the political capital of Côte d’Ivoire.
“Let me also say that the issue of tax will be waved and I will call the authorities that are responsible, to see that we cooperate with you on this issue.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have told me that the same thing is applied to them in the other countries where they operate. So that will not be an issue.”
Earlier, Traore informed the Minister that the visit was to inform the minister that the Embassy was about to begin the development of the land allocated to it in Maitama.
This, according to the Ambassador, was in line with the minister’s directive that all allocated plots must be developed within a specified or would be revoked.
“We were given two plots in Abuja: one at the Diplomatic Drive area and the other at Maitama.
“We have built a big building in the Diplomatic Drive area, and we are about to commence the development of the plot in Maitama”, he said.
The Ambassador has concluded plans to strengthen cooperation between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire in different areas.
“I also want to come to you with a proposal of twinning Abuja and the political capital of Cote d’Ivoire, Yamoussoukro, to find a common ground to move forward,” he said.
