The All Progressive Congress (APC) publicity secretary Lai Mohammed took part in Lagos TV station debate whether President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent US visit was “fruitless”

Mohammed said there were gains in four areas – diplomacy, economy, security and anti-corruption.

The gains from the visit according to Mohammed included being invited to the US within two months of the new adminstration. He claimed that this was unprecendented. It was not quite clear how a visit, by itself, translated into a gain.

Another “gain” for Mohammed was what he called a “ringing endorsement” from Barack Obama. He went on to claim that Buhari addressed five US cabinet secretaries and that this sort of reception was “unheard of”.

On security, the gain was “a promise of assistance, and a firm assurance on training” Nigerian troops. It wasn’t quite apparent how a presidential visit was required for what seemed like routine stuff that could be done via normal diplomatic channels.

On the economy, Mohammed said the trip secured $4.2bn investment from the “Baker Group” for agriculture and the power sector. There was also a $2.1bn loan from the World Bank for investment in the northeastern part of Nigeria that has borne the brunt of the Boko Haram insurgency. It was also claimed that 20 US companies agreed to come to Nigeria on a “trade delegation”.

Mohammed concluded by claiming that the US promised to cooperate with Nigeria in the fight against corruption.

The Peoples Democratic Party spokesman on the programme accused the government of suffering from “colonial mentality” and not acting like an independent nation in begging for help.

It was clear that the only points that could be remotely described as tangible from the US visit were the $4.2bn investment and the $2.1bn loan.

Whether those amounts bear fruit for Nigeria would require a forensic examination of the details. World Bank loans come with severe health warnings. Nigeria has had a few of them in the past, with not much benefit trickling down to ordinary Nigerians. The same could be said for other forms of foreign investment

Hang on

The agricultural sector is our second biggest revenue earner so this boost is well-timed particularly with plunging oil prices, and is a significant step in the fulfillment of his campaign promise to diversify the economy.

Meanwhile the wailers wish the trip was a waste.

Keep wailing.

.

Good one

You use money to get money

No one is an island of knowledge.. visiting doesn't translate to not bn independent.. There are certain economic issues that surely needs international meetings to enable informative indexes and a flourished diplomatic ties.. After all, "A large chair doesn't make a king"

why are we always bordered about insignificant issues?

mikolo80:

"On the economy, Mohammed said the trip secured $4.2bn investment from the “Baker Group” for agriculture and the power sector. There was also a $2.1bn loan from the World Bank for investment in the northeastern part of Nigeria that has borne the brunt of the Boko Haram insurgency".

It's just a matter of time before the "baker group" debunk the prophet lai Mohammed's claim. and for the $2.1bn loan from the World Bank, it is a loan The rest of Nigeria will pay back for it, even though they did not partake in the destruction of the Northeast. It pains me that people don't have open minds to see these things.

Imagine the stupidity of calling a LOAN taken for a northeast zone that was destroyed by northeast infidels, that will be serviced & repaid back with niger delta oil money a gain from Buhari's trip to U.S.

SAI PMB

The APC are a party of liars. They lied on Obama,now they"re lieing on the baker group. $4.2B kor $10trillion pounds nii.

BLOTRS:


It's just a matter of time before the "baker group" debunk the prophet lai Mohammed's claim. and for the $2.1bn loan from the World Bank, it is a loan The rest of Nigeria will pay back for it, even though they did not partake in the destruction of the Northeast. It pains me that people don't have open minds to see these things.

that's how loans work
you pay back
no problem so long as you use it for productive things not looting
its not nrths fault that southerners choose to loot instead of developing their ares

the President never spent 2.2 billion on any trip

luvinhubby:
Imagine the stupidity of calling a LOAN taken for a northeast zone that was destroyed by northeast infidels, that will be serviced & repaid back with niger delta oil money a gain from Buhari's trip to U.S.

so you agree hup a loan touch USED in north east not STOLEN by fishermen and other nincompoops

Obiagelli:
the President never spent 2.2 billion on any trip

even better 200 milliom for 4 trn ratio 1 to 20,000