President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday told the members of the Board of African Export and Important Bank, AFREXIM that his administration will continue to knock on their doors for assistance so as to fix the long decayed infrastructure in the country..
This is as he called for stronger partnership with lending banks to reduce the nation’s infrastructure deficit, assuring of his administration’s full commitment to implement all agreements.
The President who stated this when he received the Board of African Export and Import Bank, AFREXIM, led by Dr Benedict Okey, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja said the Federal Government will keep making requests from the bank for financial aid for the building of infrastructure and development of the real sector.
Buhari in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said, “We are grateful for the much you are doing for us, but we will continue to knock on your doors for more and more as we strive to overcome our infrastructure deficit.
“We realise that we do need money to fix the appalling state of infrastructure we met; to do roads, railways, power and communications – a sector now mostly in private hands which is doing very well.
“Don’t be tired of us. We will be coming to you again and again. Please accommodate us.”
President Buhari said the nation already faces a challenge of fixing and putting in place long delayed infrastructure and will need strong partnerships for quick and better results.
He said it was an honour for Nigeria to host AFREXIM’s Annual General Meeting and its 25th Anniversary in Abuja.
In his remarks, the President and Chairman of AFREXIM Board of Directors, Dr. Oramah expressed satisfaction with the support of the Nigerian government in the operations of the bank, noting that the bank’s confidence in Nigeria justifies the huge loans it had granted to the country.
He said the 20,000 participants attending the AGM had already expressed their satisfaction with the quality of arrangements for the event, which includes security.