Nigeria Needs To Strengthen Her Foreign Policy To Drive Economic Growth – Hon. Laori.

Rt. Honourable (Barr.) Kwamoti Bitrus Laori is a Lawmaker in the House of Representatives, representing Demsa/Numan/Lamurde Federal Constituency of Adamawa State.
He was the former Chairman, House Committee on Corporation and Integration in Africa. In this interview with FAVOUR LIVINGSTONE, Honourable Kwamoti Bitrus Laori, gave insight on how Nigeria can fare better in its diplomatic ties, trade, economy, others.

Excerpts

Nigeria’s bilateral relationship faces several challenges, what do you think are the strategies for building stronger ties with other countries?

In respect of Nigeria and other countries we really have much to do, we need to do more in terms of our relationship with other countries, most especially even the countries that are bordering Nigeria given the fact that we are neighbours we need to be close-knitted, you know, so that we can benefit from each other, be as it may, I have a feeling that Nigeria is lacking the fulcrum of its foreign policy.

What is the basis of Foreign Policy in Nigeria?

What is Nigeria trying to achieve in terms of foreign policy is another matter, we need to work on that given now most of Ambassadorial appointments have not been done, and this is affecting our relationship with other countries.

Now, how are you going to get into a bilateral relationship with another country when you don’t even have a presence there, where you don’t even have a substantive Ambassador that will go around and talk to them and convince them? You know, you need to have people, you need to have put a square peck in square holes for you to get the benefit of a relationship.

We need to strengthen our foreign affairs, we need to strengthen our foreign policy, government needs to invest very much on that, because we need to showcase Nigeria outside.

It is what we showcase outside that will attract people to rush in here to invest. I know that we are not doing very well in that respect, our Media is not helping issues, the country, and the government, and the national orientation, are not making issue; every small insecurity in Nigeria is over-blown, and to the extent that somebody outside will be afraid to come to Nigeria and think that everywhere he’s working he’s not safe, and he’s not there, but it is not true. Of course there are security issues here and there, pockets of security issues here and there that can affect some certain investment, but not in every part of the country, some areas are relatively safe, and people can come in and invest, so, the issue is for the government to bring out its focus on foreign affairs and what it wants to achieve.

Previously we have Nigerian Institute of International affairs in Lagos, I know people from different countries used to come in there, and I know that, that Institute was the bedrock of Nigerian foreign policy then, because they were bringing issues and programs that were promoting Nigeria, but that place has even gone into comatose.

So, as it is now, I have not seen us as in Nigeria coming out with strong foreign policy that will enhance our bilateral relationship with others.

I’ve seen the President jetting out here, and there, and take for instance the BRICS, you know Nigeria even from the beginning has an opportunity to be one of the founding members of the BRICS, the BRICS are making impacts now, they are having bilateral relationship, they are having trade relationship between themselves. Of course this is what we need you know to grow economy, but we are behind.

Now, even let us come back to the ECOWAS that we have here; we have all the trades, treaties, and we have the relationship, but we have failed to take the leadership role by bringing ECOWAS: Now there are some chaos in this; and they have said no they’re no longer in ECOWAS, why, because we have failed to take our place, our commanding role in the affairs of things, because be as it may, every three or two West African people you see, one is Nigerian, so a ECOWAS is our baby, ECOWAS is what we ought to leverage on so that our people would benefit maximally, but look at it now, some of the countries in ECOWAS now are rebelling, and we should not have taken that route to allow them the space to do that because, it is to our own disadvantage.

Now, if Niger rebel, whatever bilateral relationship we have with them, whatever agreement we are having with them, if they rebel they say they are no longer in ECOWAS.

We are collapsing, because then it’s like opening a crack in your wall and a lot of things will come in.
The resurgence resurfacing now is all part of the problem we are having with Niger, Mali, so, if they see something they will just keep quiet and it will trickle down and affect us. There is therefore need for the government to strengthen his foreign policy, to set out its agenda, and ofcourse, look at what would benefit the country, pursue it rigorously, and make sure Nigeria is benefiting.

We have taken lead in a lot of programs, and a lot of things in Africa, when Nigeria stood against apartheid, Nigerians have made contributions to all the peacekeeping process in this country, but what have we gained from it? We are giving, but we are not getting things in return, and I think we need to have some retrospection in respect of our relationship, and see where we are going to benefit, and then put our effort towards that so that Nigeria will benefit.

Advancing mutual economic interest

We have everything that we need to develop and grow as a country. Nigerians are very productive, Nigerians are industrious, but I think the government need to harness that, and export it just like the Chinese are doing. Chinese are everywhere exporting everything, why, it’s just because of government. It’s the government, it’s the policy of the government, and it’s the consistency in maintaining those policies that are helping them, now they are ruling the world, invariably, economically.

So we need to take that lead. We are praising ourselves the giant of Africa, but economically we are not. Then we need to do something immediately, we need to strengthen our industry, we need to strengthen our export because our exports are what will give us enough foreign exchange to stabilise the economy.

So yes, bilateral relationship, Nigeria has them, but we are not seeing the benefit of some of these bilateral relationships we’re having, because we are not putting the desired energy for us to reap these benefits of the bilateral relationship that we have been engaging with various countries.

Trade liberalisation to encourage global trade?

In terms of course, ACFTA trade agreement is there, even ECOWAS, you have agreement on trade and others. Yes, the issues of trade are there, the issue of tariffs are there, it depends on what the country wants to achieve, because it is the country that will promote its products to be taken out, it is Nigeria that will encourage the manufacturers to manufacture, and it’s Nigeria that will get market for them.
Ofcourse, the issue of tariffs; you cannot wash away the issue of tariffs they have to be there because those are the revenues that you have to drive to also keep your country and your economy afloat, but you also have to look at the areas where you said okay in respect of this area we’re going to reduce the tariffs, in respect of this area we are lacking, no, we are going to give a waiver.

All these things depend on what the government have planned to achieve, and how they want to see the economy. There are certain areas that we don’t have expertise, there are certain machineries that yes we cannot produce here, so if we are going to import them, you have to give certain waiver for them to come. There are certain issues like the pharmaceutical that you may need to import certain technology. yes you have to look at tariffs and look at some waivers that you have to bring them here, and create an environment where you encourage those industries to be set up in the country, and by the time they’re set up; look at; let me say Toyota, Toyota is a Japanese car, but they are manufacturing toyota in various countries in the world, why, they opened up their space and said look, instead of importing, we are giving you this concession, come and manufacture these vehicles here, and they are doing it successfully, so we can do it.

If you remember not long ago, we had Volkswagen being assembled here, we had Peugeot being assembled here, we had Leilan being assembled here, and the Mercedes Benz being assembled here, we had them, but where are they? but because of the inconsistency in governance in Nigeria, once another new government comes he jettisons things. All of these things have collapsed. So, we need to do; because we are doing what other countries are not doing, that is why we are not progressing, if we are doing what they are doing, of course we will be rubbing shoulder with the first world, and and that is what we need.

It all boils down to leadership, and putting the right people there so that we can be having rights results,
we need it just as soon.