The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said on Monday that President Buhari’s Trips are essential in re-building the country and mending the damaged reputation of the country under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
I’m his piece titled “PMB’s foreign trips — My takeaway”, Fashola noted that Buhari’s efforts and intervention led to the recent stability in the crude oil price.
He added that Nigeria, through the several travels of the president currently has the support of the seven most powerful countries in the world.
Fashola noted that the President was remedying the status of Nigeria which was ostracised from global events barely two decades ago as a result of bad governance.
Explaining the business that transpired during the recent meeting with top government officials in China, Fashola said that the President signed six collaborative agreements.
He added that: “This last mentioned agreement was a legitimate coup by PMB, because the intelligence was that some West African countries weregoing to sign before us. PMB seized the moment. Of course, he had to apologise for our previous failures on our agreement made to part-fund four airport projects in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt and the Abuja-Kaduna rail project.
“The Chinese had provided their agreed part of 85 per cent but the remaining 15 per cent Nigeria did not honour during the last administration. Some of the recent revelations about financial scandals estimated at $2.1bn in the Office of the National Security Adviser alone during the last administration suggest how impactful such funds would have been in delivering these critical infrastructures; but we all know what happened.
“This is why PMB is travelling. To repair our reputation severely damaged by the last government, and to assure our partners that Nigeria has changed. From there, to renegotiate an existing funding agreement to complete critical transport infrastructure.”
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