Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-Germany Parliamentary Group.

Saraki described the group as the working platform for actualising the implementation of the bilateral agreements between Nigeria-Germany as well as any other obligation of mutual interests.

He said the group headed by the Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah, “has the mandate of the Senate, to conduct its activities based on economic cooperation (ensuring implementation of bilateral agreements between Nigeria and Germany) and Parliamentary cooperation (establishing a Nigerian-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group through a constituted committee).”

Continuing, saraki said: “As an inter-parliamentary group, I expect all members of the Nigeria-Germany Parliamentary Group in the Senate to foster the development of friendship between our two countries and develop close relations and cooperation between our parliaments.”

The Senate President, represented by Sen, Biodun Olujimi, said that with the inauguration of the Nigeria-Germany Group in the Senate, he has no doubt in his mind that Nigeria will in no time surpass its second position to become Africa’s largest trading partner to Germany.

“I urge all members of this group to put in their possible best to maintain and strengthen this unique cooperation. This committee hereby stands inaugurated on this day the 31st October, 2017,” he said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, represented by Hon Amnnir Dan’Agundi, noted that Borno and some other parts of Nigeria’s North East were colonised by Germany before the pre-colonial period and World War II.

In his speech, Chairman of the Nigeria-Germany Group and the Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said the essential purpose of constituting and establishing the group is to improve Nigeria’s working relations with foreign partners in socio-economic matters, security, trade and investment and best practices and procedures in parliamentary affairs, in order to foster mutual benefits to both countries and the world at large.

“I wish to affirm our commitment to work assiduously as a group in order to foster gains on this bilateral ties,” he said.

Na’Allah said the group will enhance improved relations in the area of health, infrastructural development, skills acquisition, capacity building programmes, petroleum and gas, socio-economic development and exchange of ties in education.

He expressed appreciation to the German Ambassador for facilitating and enhancing the medium for the group to relate with their counterparts in Germany.

The Ambassador of Germany, Mr. Bernhard Schlargheck, described the inauguration as the greatest day in the history of Nigerian-Germany diplomatic relations.

He called on the need for the group to strengthen ties and understanding with their counterpart in Germany.

•Photo by Garba Ahmed shows Dep. Sen. Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah (m) with the German Ambassador, Mr. Berhard Schlagheck, at the inauguration of Nigeria-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group by Senate President Bukola Saraki, represented by Sen. Biodun Olujimi, at NASS, Abuja, on Tuesday.

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