Nigeria will soon expand its diplomatic relationship with Ukraine, exploring new areas of mutual benefit to both countries.
This
indication was given earlier today by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,
SAN, while receiving the Ukrainian Ambassdor Mr. Valerii Aleksandruk in
his office at the Presidential Villa.
“Very
soon we will be signing outstanding bilateral agreements” the Vice
President told the Ukrainian envoy while recalling with gratitude
government scholarships that Nigerian students have benefited from in
the Eastern European nation.
Prof.
Osinbajo hinted that the Buhari administration will be interested in
working with Ukraine in the areas of Agriculture and Steel sectors
besides the ongoing cooperation in education. According to him Nigeria
looks forward to the setting up of a Bi-National Commission that will
deal with the various issues and expand relationship between both
countries.
The
Vice President expressed Nigeria’s gratitude to Ukraine for its support
in the areas of security including in the fight against the insurgents
saying “we hope for more cooperation until we put down the evil of
terrorism.
Earlier,
the Ambassador of Ukraine informed the VP that there are a number of
bilateral agreements waiting to be signed by the two countries in order
to deepen the existing bilateral relations. He said there were about
5000 Nigerian students in Ukraine and appreciated Nigeria’s support of
his country at the United Nations Security Council, where Nigeria is
currently a member.
In
a related development, the Vice President also received a delegation
from the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies which included the
African Union Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to
Information, Mrs Pancy Tlakula. Commenting on the free flow of
information in the internet age, Prof. Osinbajo expressed the
optimism that what could not be obtained years back is made possible
today with the use of internet. He said “internet technology helps in
terms of access to information, in fact, what we thought years ago was
impossible is now made dramatically possible.” According to him,
“whoever tries to hide information now has very little hiding place as
internet provides immediate access to information which greatly helps
us.”
He
noted that freedom of information is important as people will have
access to what government is all about. He however, expressed that
people must be taught on how to make freedom of information law more
practically useful, stressing that some of the challenges are illiteracy
and the issue of reasonable “internet journalism.”
Highlighting
the challenges of freedom of information, Prof. Osinbajo identified
literacy as important factor and that is why government now is
rehabilitating and educating the children who have been displaced by
insurgency that disrupted education activities in the North for about
six years. “We are now coming up with how to educate the 10 million
children and deal with the issue of adult literacy as well”, he stated.
Earlier,
Mrs Pancy Tlakula said she has been in the country on the invitation of
the Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, to attend a memorial lecture
and had been holding meetings particularly with those that are
responsible for access to information and freedom of expression. She
said her message is that Nigeria has gone a long way in making Freedom
of Information a reality for the people, noting that what is left is for
the country to step up the implementation of Freedom of Information
law. She also said that it is through this that the right to information
will be a reality to the ordinary people.
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