Chinese experts have expressed worries over the menace of terrorism ravaging parts of Nigeria, political instability and inconsistent policies, noting that these a re major reasons a lot of investors from China are not coming to invest in the country.
This was the crux a dialogue organised in Abuja by the Centre for China Studies (CCS), with the theme “Dialogue on China’s Governance Experience and the Opportunities of Nigeria-China Cooperation”.
Speaking on China’s governance experience, Chinese intellectual, Luo Jianbo, a professor from one of China’s leading universities, said: “China investors have worries about Nigeria and Africa over instability, terrorism and policy inconsistency, sometimes due to change in administration,” adding that it had become incumbent on Nigeria to create the condition and opportunity for more investment.
He stressed that apart from investments in hard infrastructure such as bridges, roads and electricity, Nigeria needs soft infrastructure such as trust, confidence, and political stability to attract more foreign investors.
He noted that the Chinese governance model can be replicated in Nigeria and given the Nigerian character within the context of the unique Nigerian situation. He added that China has built an effective, responsive, and an accountable and consensus state built on common understanding based on its diversity.
He said that just like the Chinese, “Nigeria must first build national solidarity to foster a national consensus to create a new identity for Nigerians. Nigerians must get rid of rancorous and vicious political competition”.
“Nigeria needs a benign and orderly competition and not vicious competition. It must promote unity and create a relationship between freedom and order,” he said.
Another intellectual from China, Wan Yiwei, who spoke on “China –Africa Cooperation under the Belt and Roads Initiative, urged Nigerian leaders to open up to the opportunities provided by China to industrialise the nation adding that “without industrialization, the nation will continue to suffer. Nigeria needs more infrastructures and connectivity and that is the focus of the Belt and Roads initiative,” he said.
Also speaking, former Senator Representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, said that Nigeria as a developing country, sees China as an inspiration and a compass on shared history and called on the country’s leaders to emulate China to lift it from the travails and challenges bedeviling it. “China today represents the idea of a nation that has succeeded where others have failed,” he said.
Director of Center for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, said China’s historical trajectory and perseverance which made the nation emerge from its travails to become the second largest economy in the world was the product of determination, discipline and focused leadership provided by the Chinese Communist Party (CPC). He added that the China- Nigeria cooperation will open more opportunities for Nigeria.
During the panel discussion, Nafizi Abdullahi Garba, a Professor from the Department of Economics, University of Abuja, called for the Chinese Model of development that is all-encompassing, all-embracive and all inclusive, that incorporates every aspect of the social, economic political life of the country.
He also called for the inclusion of academics and intellectuals in decision-making process in Nigeria, stressing that every aspect of the nation’s life should be subjected to the consultative process of academics and intellectuals.
“In every aspect of the economy, politics should be subjected to thorough intellectual analysis and evaluation,’’ he said, even as he harped on the issue of inculcating nationalism, self-discipline and patriotism at all levels of government.
He also urged for a serious reform in the leadership recruitment process, adding that development can only be possible when Nigeria reforms the Electoral Act to ensure that every member of a political party contributes certain amount to fund that party and put a threshold, a maximum amount that anybody can provide as funding for the political party and link the political party register to the BVN.
He also advised that any political party that wants to contest election must do direct primary instead of the indirect primary that is subject to manipulation.
Source: Businessdayng
