A British Trade Mission, led by the Director of Africa House, London, Mr Emmanuel Obasi, is seeking collaboration with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to fast track development in the region.

Obasi made this known during a courtesy visit to the ministry on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the mission was satisfied with the anti-corruption fight of the present administration, which encouraged the investors to visit the country.

According to him, the mission is in the country to introduce British companies willing to work with Nigeria.

He added that the ministry had provided the mission with an overview of the direction of the government in unemployment, infrastructure and peace in the region.

Obasi, therefore, pledged the team’s readiness to work in the areas of construction and skills acquisition.

He further said that the mission was interested in raising the level of education in the region which, he noted, had gone down drastically over the years.

According to Obasi, Nigerians in the Diaspora will build schools and improve the quality of teachers and wipe out illiteracy.

He further said that the team was also keen on promoting trade and investment relationship between the UK and Nigeria, with particular interest in the Niger Delta region.

Responding, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, thanked the British delegation for the visit.

He told the members that the Buhari administration was eager to remove all obstacles militating against investment, so that entrepreneurs could find the Niger Delta region a good place to do business.

He said that the ministry was also looking forward to encouraging UK businesses in providing road, agriculture, employment, infrastructure and peace in the region.

According to him, the ministry’s skills acquisition centres in the nine oil producing states of the Niger Delta are near completion, and would become operational as soon as they were equipped.

Usani added that the ministry’s decision for a private sector operator to manage the centres was the best approach to make them run optimally and become enduring.

He also said that the administration was leveraging on the general environment to achieve a high technology status, adding that plans were also under way to develop industrial parks in the region.

He said that the ministry had been collaborating with other foreign investors in the area of skill acquisition for youths in the region.

“This visit is to explore ways of improving such collaboration, particularly, in oil and gas- related endeavours.

“We are working on short-term, medium-term as well as long-term measures to improve engagement and empowerment of youths in the region.”

He assured the team that the Federal government was committed to developing the region, as well as ensuring sustainable peace in the region, adding that adequate steps would be taken to strengthen its partnership with the ministry.

The delegation comprised diverse businesses cutting across agriculture, housing, IT, Education, general consultancy and raw materials valuation, among others. (NAN)

•Photo shows Usani Uguru Usani.

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