Nigeria and Denmark on Tuesday, pledged to broaden their diplomatic relations in the maritime and agriculture sectors as well as in fighting terrorism and rehabilitation of displaced persons in the North East.

The pledge was made when the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Mr Kristian Jensen, led a Danish delegation including the Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Torbeb Gettermann, on a courtesy visit to Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

At the event, Osinbajo commended the Danish government for opening an Embassy in Abuja, and a Consulate in Lagos, saying that they were marks of commitment of Denmark to strengthen relationship with Nigeria.

He said the Federal Government was pursuing a strong diversification policy with focus on agriculture, solid minerals and improving the maritime sector.

The Vice President explained that the entire value chain of agriculture was important to the administration in other to use the sector to create more wealth and jobs for the youth.

According to him, the government was paying attention to rice and poultry farming as well as food storage and food processing.

Osinbajo, also said that the administration was keen on improving power supply, adding that the energy mix in the country would be better in two years’ time.

He told the visitors that government had routed Boko Haram and was fighting corruption to create secure and better business atmosphere for investors.

He mentioned the efforts being made to rehabilitate those displaced by insurgency in the North East, adding that the administration was at the point of working with international partners on the needs assessment in the region.

He remarked that no fewer than two million persons were displaced by Boko Haram which was a huge crisis that stretched the facilities in the region.

He, however, explained that in trying to resettle the displaced persons, government was working hard to make the area safe by ridding it of land mines.

“We are working hard to see how we can grapple with the problems in collaboration with some NGOs.

“We hope that in the next few weeks, we will have a clearer picture of how to re-settle the victims, but we are aware that there are thousands of orphans in the area.”

The Vice President used the occasion to allay the fears of the international community on a breakup of the nation due to the activities of youths called Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

He recalled the attempt to secede by the Biafra in 1967 which led to a three year old civil war, but that following the declaration of the federal government then of ``no victor, no vanquished’’, the warring groups had since been reintegrated.

He explained that what had arisen of recent was that young ones were disenchanted because of lack of jobs affecting 50 per cent of the youth population.

He however said that the agitation by IPOB was not a significant threat to the sovereignty of the nation as the entire Igbo population, like the Yoruba, had seen themselves as major partners in nationhood.

“We are better together and becoming a smaller country is not the mainstream thinking in any of the regions of the country.”

Jensen earlier told the Vice President that his country was glad about the effort of the federal government to fight Boko Haram and terrorism, pledging to continue to partner with Nigeria in the fight.

He also said that there was the need for both countries to work together to return normal lives to the displaced persons in the North East.

“We commend your effort in the fight against Boko Haram and corruption.

“We are advanced in renewable energy which in addition to strengthening the SMEs, we hope we can assist the economy of this country to grow.”

The minister said his country had a diversified energy structure with about 112 per cent of electricity provided by wind power.

He said his country would assist Nigeria improve power through solar and bio technology, as well as integration of the energy mix.

He assured that Denmark would strengthen the maritime industry in the country where its ships were involved in carrying over 40 per cent of Nigeria’s shipments.

Jensen expressed concerns about the agitation by IPOB and said there was the need to nip the agitation in the bud. (NAN)

•Photo shows VP Osinbajo.

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