Tinubu urges African leaders to address exodus of skills, talents 

Tinubu, Mbasogo sign agreement on gas pipeline for Gulf of Guinea

President Bola Tinubu has urged African leaders to address the exodus of skills and talent from Africa. The president, according to a statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, made the call at a dinner held in his honour in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday.

   
He charged African leaders to encourage research and development with the provision of appropriate rewards. Tinubu said: “Why are we complaining about healthcare problems if our doctors cannot have a home in our continent? If our nurses are faced with destitution and if our judicial system is archaic?”
   
President Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit to the Central African country, said development in Africa would begin when the continent started to look inward for solutions.
   
He added: “Tribalism has no place in our nation or region. We have to strengthen the continent, cultivate and maintain peace together and help one another.
   
“We have to develop our resources for our progress. Find solutions among ourselves and focus incisively on research and development and reward those research and development programmes. We must bring out the results ourselves. We must not outsource them or sell them out. 
   
“To the international organisations, we are partners. We will continue to be partners, but we must implement more than half of the results of the research established here. We have many youths to take care of. Millions yearning for progress,’’ the President said.
 
 President Tinubu thanked President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for the invitation to visit Malabo. “It is a joy coming down here from Abuja, and for me, it is a homecoming. We are one single family on the continent. We are like twins held together at the hips. We have nowhere to go, but to cling to each other.
   
In his remarks earlier, the President of Equatorial Guinea thanked President Tinubu for honouring his invitation. He called for more collaboration and solidarity between both countries, stating that “Nigeria has always held a special place in our foreign policy.”
   
President Mbasogo said deeper partnership is needed between both countries to fight piracy and insecurity while working with other countries of the African Union and the United Nations in tackling climate change, food shortages, and terrorism.
   
Before the dinner, the two presidents signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline Project, further affirming the partnership for mutual development.  
   
“The agreement covered legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, establishment and operation, transit of natural gas, ownership of the gas pipeline, and general principles,” Ngelale stated.
   
President Tinubu said the signing of the agreement will open up new opportunities for gas exploration and employment. The President stated that the two leaders had discussed issues related to the creation of employment, food security, multilateral relations, and conflict resolution mechanisms on the continent during a private meeting that preceded the signing of the agreement.
   
“Concerning Africa, conflicts and conflict resolution were discussed. We discussed various areas of conflict and what we can do to promote peace. We talked about the promotion of peace and stability in our countries and growth and prosperity on our continent. 
   
“In the same way that Europe and America have kept themselves and found a solution for their conflicts, we have to look at both inadequate capital, industrialisation efforts, research and development programmes, and enlighten our people, navigate our way through problems. Instead of the crisis and conflicts that we see in the Republic of Congo, and others, we have to look inwards to solve problems ourselves,’’ the President said. 
   
President Tinubu said the discussion with the President of Equatorial Guinea also covered challenges of security, the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), and food security.  
   
“We are all going for it. Within Africa and the African Union, we have resolved that we will work together to make sure that the solution to many of our problems in Africa comes from within,’’ the President concluded.
   
In his remarks, the President of Equatorial Guinea said bilateral relations with Nigeria over many years have been rewarding and emphasized the need to deepen cooperation across salient areas.  
   
President Mbasogo said Africa’s vision of having a permanent seat in the Security Council of the United Nations is vital for the development of the continent, affirming that Equatorial Guinea will work with Nigeria to realise the objective. He further said the signing of the agreement was strategic for Africa’s development.
   
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar of Nigeria, and Mr. Simeon Oyono Esono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, also signed the agreement.
   
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of State, Petroleum, Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim-Biu were present at the signing of the agreement.