THE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has thrown his weight behind the establishment of Nigeria-Benin Republic permanent Commission.
The Minister gave the nod on Wednesday when he received in audience the Nigeria, Advocacy Group for the Establishment of a Permanent Joint Commission between Nigeria and Benin Republic in Abuja.
The group was led by Amb. Oguntuase Kayode, Chairman of the group’s Governing board.
“This issue of the Nigeria Benin Joint Commission is one that is on the front burner, but it’s also important to note from our records here that in Nigeria Benin Joint Commission does exist it’s just gone silent. It’s already in existence and went sort of I wouldn’t want to use the word comatose, for lack of a better word slowed down in 2014 and it’s one that needs to be resuscitated.
“And I believe that is happening organically because there’s a lot happening bilaterally between the two countries.”
He added, “So it is a laudable initiative because it’s important that private sector and civil society is involved. In this that way, it’s even more organic than just governments coming together. It’s important that we have private sector, civil society, engaging each other and then we just reinforce that. It’s also important to remind ourselves that the you have an asset in border.
” And we’ve seen that the issue of security is increasingly tied to deficiencies in development in standards of living in border areas, because this is where sometimes insurgencies and unrest hide to to incubate and then come up with of course, well we’re lucky maybe because of the very friendly relations between Nigeria and public opinion and also because of the comparative affluence.
“We don’t have that on the Nigeria Benin border, even though we do have some disputes and disagreements which we urge you to also, you know, participate in, in diffusing some of the tension that every now and again comes up with regards to border disputes.”
In his early remarks, Amb. Oguntuase Kayode said the establishment of the permanent Nigeria-Benin republic Commission was apt.
He said, “The establishment of the proposedNigeria and Benin Republic Joint Commission is quite apt and important in leveraging the existing warm relations between the two countries to a strategic partnership which will
manifest itself in building robust and sustainable people to people and business relations.
“This Proposal has been inspired by the successesof existing Permanent Joint Commission between Nigeria and her neighbouring countries,specially, Niger Republic.
“The Geo-strategic importance of Nigeria and Benin Republic to their existential realities is a compelling factor for forging a strategic partnership such as a Permanent Joint Commission that would regulate, monitor,supervise and co-ordinate beneficial relations between the two countries.”