President Muhammadu Buhari, who
cancelled his trip to Rwanda, was absent at the signing of the agreement.
Buhari giving reasons for his
cancelled trip to Kigali for the signing of the AUCFTA agreement framework said
enough consultation was not made before the Federal Executive Council, FEC,
approved the signing of the framework agreement for establishing the African
Continental Free Trade Area. http://dailypost.ng/2018/03/18/buhari-cancelled-rwandas-trip/
According to him, the agreement
had the capacity to hinder local entrepreneurship and encourage the dumping of
finished goods in Nigeria.
Obasanjo speaking in a video
posted by NBS Rwanda at African trade agreement, criticised African presidents
who refused to sign the trade agreement.
He described their reason not to
assent to the trade agreement as ‘mere flimsy excuse and criminal.’
He said: “ “I’m surprised that
any African leader at this point in time will be talking about either not understanding
the Continental free trade area or not to support what we’re going to sign. I
see that as criminal.
“The signing and implementation
of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will enable a shift from
dependence on assistance to increased trade.
“The establishment of the Free
Trade Area will result in the establishment of a market of over one billion two
hundred million people, with a combined gross product of over three trillion
dollars.”
“That is where our salvation
lies, trading amongst ourselves and consequently developing our economies. The
agreement will inspire a change a perception of the continent by the rest of
the world,” he said.
Meanwhile a committee comprising
ministers of Foreign Affairs, Labour, Budget, Science and Technology and the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been set up to look at the agreement and its
security implications for Nigeria.
VIDEO:
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayVIDEO: "It is criminal for any African leader to talk of not understanding what we are going to sign(Free Trade Agreement in Africa) and afford not to be here" - Olusegun Obasanjo (Former President of Nigeria) #NBSUpdates #NBSLiveAt9 pic.twitter.com/opGGIOC1ys— NBS Television (@nbstv) March 21, 2018
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Guess he has vested interest, personal gains to be made, else why would he opt for a program that will kill the local industry
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get your facts? Did EU kill local industries in various European countries? In my view, that is a myopic way to think.
ReplyDeleteI think not signing the agreement is good bcos Nigerian can not be compare with the EU in terms of technology. Except the goods will be manufacture here in Nigeria to create employment in the country.
ReplyDeleteLocal and small scale business needs to be encourage and support by the government to grow.
Nigeria can not be a dumping area for EU products while neglect our own product to develop the economy. Abba products and our agricultural product can create more jobs. We should start learning to use our home made product bcos we are too addicted to foreign product.