President Bola Tinubu has been hailed for his reinvigorated efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s economic partnership with the People’s Republic of China.
Moses Ayom, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, and an outspoken supporter of improving Nigeria’s relations with China, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to him, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed in Beijing yesterday on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, as well as various other agreements aimed at strengthening the two countries’ existing relationship, have opened a new chapter in Nigeria’s economy.
President Bola Tinubu and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, attended the signing ceremony in Beijing, where they both pledged to accelerate economic growth and development between their two countries.
Ayom, who has played critical roles in Nigeria’s partnership with China, including being a member of the 2016 Presidential delegation to China, urged Nigerian leaders to activate the $1.2 billion mining equipment investment deal signed between Nigeria and China that year to maximise the benefits of the partnership.
According to the audit undertaken by Certified Accountants, the delay in activating the mutually beneficial MoU portends a major economic threat capable of causing the economy to lose N500 billion.
Providing further details and origin of the deal, Ayom revealed said, “The issue is the delay and failure in activating the $1.2 billion mining equipment deal signed by my company, Granite and Marble for the establishment of mining equipment firm in Abuja.
“It is part of the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) signed between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chinese government in 2016.
“The mining equipment deal was signed the same day the $6 billion currency swap deal was signed between Nigeria and China in addition to the $2.5 billion deal.
He further revealed that all of this was sealed in China in 2016, when he had the opportunity of accompanying the President on a business trip alongside former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, who also served as a witness for the Federal Government.
According to him, “To be in that business delegation, our background has been carefully considered and studied as not just the owner of Granite and Marble, but a global Enterprenuer, philanthropist, creativity icon, cultural Ambassador and recipient of the prestigious Award of Outstanding Advocate of China/Nigeria Relations bestowed by the Chinese Government .
“But shockingly, that deal with the SBM that is meant to be located in Abuja and supported by the Central Bank with RSSF, is yet to take off because the grant for it is yet to be released. The grant is 1 Billion naira which is still hanging, came from CBN under Real sector support facility( RSSF) where the co ordinating minister of finance is the chairman of CBN.
“Although CBN gave different grants to respective companies, Granite and Marble, which has great potentials of employing more Nigerians across the nation especially in the northern part of Nigeria and reduce banditry, kidnapping and all forms of negative vices, is yet to take off.”
