By Sunny Anderson Osiebe
…As Chinese Investment in Nigeria Hits
USD13 Billion
The Deputy President of
the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has called on the Chinese government to
ensure the proper and fair treatment of Nigerians working in Chinese firms in
Nigeria.
He made the call when
he received the Deputy Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria,
Mr. Jin Ping, who paid him a courtesy visit at the National Assembly, Abuja, on
Tuesday.
While appreciating the
government and people of China for their support towards Nigeria’s development,
especially in the areas of investments, roads, railway, agriculture, and power,
among others, Ekweremadu also decried reports of alleged mistreatment of
Nigerians by their Chinese employers as well as alleged illegal mining by some
Chinese nationals in Nigeria.
He said: “We have
received reports of discrimination and mistreatment of our citizens working in
Chinese factories in Nigeria. We want to see more of Chinese factories and presence
in Nigeria to help us reload the private sector. But, we also want to see
Nigerians who work in Chinese factories treated like their Chinese colleagues. We
welcome you with open hands and we expect you to also treat our people well,
like your people”.
Senator Ekweremadu stressed
that Nigeria frowned at any form of illegal mining as it portended both
economic loss and environmental hazards to Nigeria.
“We will also like to
see that Chinese who do business here do it in accordance with our laws. We
have heard reports of some Chinese who allegedly engage in illegal mining.
Nigeria is blessed with abundant mineral resources and am sure the government
is ever willing to cooperate with lawful interests through licensing for the exploitation
of these mineral in compliance with our laws”, he added.
Speaking earlier, the
Deputy Ambassador, Mr. Lin Jing, said his delegation was at the National
Assembly to strengthen the bilateral ties between Nigeria and China.
Mr. Jing reaffirmed
China’s commitment to Nigeria’s development, noting that Chinese investments in
Nigeria stood at USD13 Billion at the end of 2016.
He said China was also
demonstrating that commitment to Nigeria’s friendship and development through the
USD1.3 Lagos-Ibadan Railway Project, USD326 Million 30 rice mills projects
slated for various parts of the country as well as the China EXIM Bank funded USD984
Zungeru Hydro-Electricity Project and USD450 Million loan for the construction
of keffi Road.
0 comments: