The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has called for deepening of bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Morocco for the benefits of the people of the two countries.
He made the call on Wednesday while receiving the Moroccan Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Moha Ouali Tagma who paid him a courtesy visit at the National Assembly.
Akpabio who described Morocco as a new destination for investment said the North African country “is becoming a great partner to Nigeria in the economic sector”.
The Senate President said Nigeria had a lot to learn from Morocco which had become a place “all Nigerians want to do business with”.
He said the Nigerian Parliament had already signed an agreement to form the Nigeria/Morocco Friendship Group to underscore the fact that Nigeria is “very deeply interested” in strengthening the bond that existed with Morocco.
“And I am happy to note that while we are hoping to invest in Morocco and also pleading with Moroccan investors to come to Nigeria, that investment and that relationship in the commercial sense has already started.
“Imagine, in my state, you have already put about 1.5 billion dollars in the Fertiliser industry. I think this is something to be applauded and a very good news to our country. It will create employment opportunities.
“It will be mutually beneficial to both nations and I do know that we will give you other areas when we are together which we want you to bring a delegation of investors from Morocco to come and visit,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President who said that Nigeria/Morocco relationship had come to stay added that “we are very determined to strengthen the oil and gas ties with Morocco.”
On the Gas Pipeline Project, he told his guests that the Group CEO of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited recently announced that they had overcome the initial difficulty taking the Pipeline crossing the River Niger and now heading to Morocco.
“I was very excited because that was one of the things I was confronted with – whether the project was not moving – but apparently, whatever hitches, whatever difficulties they had, have now been surmounted and that project is on course.
“So we hope to export our rich gas reserves particularly, through the Pipeline and through our cooperation with Morocco,” he said.
Earlier, the Moroccan Ambassador Tagma thanked the Senate President for granting audience to him and his Deputy Head of Mission, Marouan Abousif.
He acknowledged Nigeria and Morocco as the two big countries in Africa and wanted the two nations to strengthen relationship both at the level of government and parliament.
Ambassador Tagma extended invitation to the Nigerian Parliament, through the Senate President for a visit to Morocco to further consolidate the relationship between the two African nations.
