By Emmanuel Adeleke
Nigeria’s delegation to the ongoing 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, led by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has sought the collaboration of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in the area of digital and marine economies.
Speaking shortly after a courtesy visit to the WTO Director General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at her office in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, Akpabio said the delegation were at the WTO on a courtesy call and to look for areas of collaboration with the organisation in the various sectors of the economy for the overall benefit of Nigerians.
“We used our attendance at the IPU to pay courtesy visit to one of Nigeria’s very costly export to the world, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the WTO. We came to thank her for the job she is doing for the world and thank her staff for supporting and standing by her to succeed. Nigerians are very proud of her.
“We had discussions on the various developmental programmes of the WTO and we noticed that there were spaces where Nigerians can become major players. We discussed issues affecting trade back home in Nigeria and ways in which the National Assembly can assist in removing barriers, through legislation for the benefit of our people.
“We also talked about issue of regulations concerning digital economic contents, illegal finishing along the coastal states of Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa. How Nigerian women could benefit from the recent programme funded by the organisation was also discussed. The establishment of a digital trade portal, where-in all trade information could be accessed by our people top our discussion with the WTO.
“The deliberations were fruitful and we are confident that with our support in all of these, Nigerians would be the better for it,” he said.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, said: “Our best export to the world, took her time to bring us up to speed on the various innovations and initiatives of the WTO and what Africa and Nigeria stand to benefit from. We are going back more refreshed because we have seen a space here for Africa to thrive in business and trade.”
Speaking, Okonjo-Iweala described the visit of the Senate President and the Deputy Speaker as “a huge honour.”
“We were able to talk on those things we are doing at the WTO that would help make a material difference for Nigerians.
“We spoke about the recent programme that we launched and some development programme from the standards and trade facilities to help in improving sanitary and vital sanitary standards for some of the crops in Nigeria, so that it helps in diversifying the economy.
“A lot of things on the table have already been discussed. I am honoured by this visit and I am home-sick,” she said.
