'Buhari's foreign trips are paying off,' Minister says

dimeji akinloye

February 17, 2016 7:32 PM

He said the trips are meant to attract investments to Nigeria.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Minister of Information, Alhaji

While defending the President's foreign trips, Mohammed said Mohammed said the two things that have been discouraging foreign investors from coming to the country are terrorism and corruption, which, he said, the current government is waging war against intensely.

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He said this while addressing newsmen on Wednesday, February 17, after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

“You do not run a country by being isolated and the personal presence of the president in many of these fora is very important because before now we were almost a pariah state and the two things that have been driving investments away from this country are terrorism and corruption,” Mohammed said.

He continued, “one thing that nobody can fault this president on is his determination to fight these two ills. Mr President’s presence in these fora is very crucial even to the economy back at home.

“Before now the level of corruption was very high that nobody was ready to risk his investment in Nigeria. The cost of doing business was so high that most international businessmen didn’t want to come here. Who is coming to invest in a country where there is insecurity?"

Many Nigerians, mostly those loyal to the opposition, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), including Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, have heavily criticised Buhari over his frequent foreign trips, noting that he is wasting the country's resources in the face of economic crises.

The President has embarked on at least 19 trips to 14 countries since assuming office in May 2015.

Also defending Buhari's foreign trips, the environment minister, Ms. Amina Mohammed, said that the trips are justified given the results and windows of opportunities that have opened for the nation.

“We hope to see the president going out and advocating for this country to get more investment so that we can take everyone out of poverty. That is really what is important. We see it as an investment with a return worthwhile,” she said.

The minister added that things will take shape in the country once the 2016 budget is passed by the National Assembly.

dimeji akinloye