We will do our best to take Nigeria out of recession, says Saraki (Read full details)

Senate President, Bukola Saraki

President of the Senate Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Thursday said the National Assembly was committed to finding solutions to the recession ravaging the country.

He made this known when he received the European Union (EU) delegation which visited him in Abuja.

According to a statement by Chuks Okocha, his Special Assistant on Print Media, Saraki said that the national assembly was working on some legislation aimed at propelling Nigeria out of recession.

He commended the EU for monitoring the 2015 general elections in the country, which, he said, had set new standards for other African countries to emulate.

Saraki said that without good economy that could sustain improved standard of living of the ordinary citizens, the legislature would not be seen to have succeeded.

He said the senate had identified 11 economic recovery bills which could help to create veritable environment for private investments, job creation, infrastructure improvement and growth of national Gross Domestic Product.

“We have our economy recovery plan.

“We are also looking at some priority Bills, infrastructure sector that will enable private sector participation which will bring more money for government in the social services sector, like education and health’’.

On the 2015 elections, Saraki commended EU for its support, saying “for the first time we have been able to transfer power from one party to the other and in a peaceful manner.

“I think it has sent signal all over Africa. There was a peaceful transition in Ghana as well. It was almost done in Gambia, but I don’t know what happened but we finally did it.

“I want the EU to continue with the role you played and we thank God that it went well; I commend you and hope that it will encourage you to come back when next needed.”

Earlier, leader of the delegation, Mr Santiago Fisas, said that the visit was to explore better ways of enhancing the partnership between EU and the Nigerian parliament, particularly on how to deepen democracy.

“We believe that relationship between states and the parliaments are important for the growth and development of democracy and development,” he said.

Fisas said that the EU knew the importance of Nigeria in Africa and that the fact informed the extension of its hands of fellowship to Nigeria’s parliament.

Equatorial Guinea stays silent on Jammeh’s presence (Read full details)

Yahya Jammeh looking / AFP PHOTO / MARCO LONGARI

Officials in Equatorial Guinea refused to comment on Sunday on whether ousted former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh had arrived in the country.

But in a statement, Equatorial Guinea’s opposition denounced the presence of Jammeh, whose 22-year reign was marked by systematic human rights abuses, on their soil.

Jammeh slinked off in the dead of night from The Gambia’s capital Banjul in the early hours of Sunday on an unmarked plane alongside Guinea-Conakry’s President Alpha Conde.

The strongman’s departure ended six weeks of political turmoil sparked by Jammeh’s refusal to accept his election defeat to new Gambian President Adama Barrow.

Following a short stopover in Conakry, the Guinean capital, Jammeh was due to head to Equatorial Guinea, a top Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) military official said.

But asked by AFP to confirm this news, Equatorial Guinean authorities did not comment.

However, Equatorial Guinea’s Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS) opposition hit out at the decision to grant Jammeh “political exile”.

“The CPDS rejects this decision and holds” President Teodoro Obiang Nguema “responsible” for any consequences Jammeh’s presence on Equatorial Guinean soil could bring, the opposition said in a statement acquired by AFP.

The CPDS said other countries had offered to host Jammeh and stressed that Equatorial Guinea has “never welcomed political exiles”.

The opposition accused Obiang of showing “contempt” towards the country and “thinking only of his personal gain”.

Obiang has been president of Equatorial Guinea since ousting his uncle in 1979.

He has been accused of human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, being a dictator and of encouraging a personality cult in the tiny oil-rich nation.

Opposition in the country is barely tolerated and the 74-year-old leader was re-elected in April with almost 94 percent of the vote.

Equatorial Guinea stays silent on Jammeh’s presence