Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has decried the low investments of Saudi Arabian businessmen in the state and Nigeria in general.
Tambuwal on Saturday in Sokoto, made the remark when the Consul-General of the Royal Consulate-General of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Majed Bin Mohammed, paid him a courtesy visit.
He said: “The Saudi Arabian businessmen were rather going to countries like Ghana, Burkina Faso and other African nations.
“Sokoto state and Nigeria badly need such investments from the Saudi business moguls.
“They should come to Nigeria and the state in particular and establish full value chain agro-allied firms.
“These companies can process food products and export same to their country and other parts of the world,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes him as saying.
Tambuwal further called for the purchase of sacrificial animals by the Saudi Government during the annual Hajj exercise.
He commended the Saudi Government for awarding the annual scholarship grants to indigenes of the state to study in its universities.
Tambuwal also lauded the Consul-General for the provision of speedy consular services for main Hajj and the lesser Hajj exercises.
“A high-powered delegation from the state will soon visit Saudi Arabia.
“Part of the discussions will be the increment of the scholarship slots to the indigenes of the state.
“They will also centre on increasing the slots of the participants of the annual Long Vocation Islamic Education Course organised by Saudi Arabia, ’’ he said.
Tambuwal promised to work tirelessly to boost the existing cordial relations between Saudi Arabia, Sokoto State and Nigeria.
The Consulate-General, Majed Bin Mohammed, had earlier congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the country’s 56th Independence Anniversary.
The envoy noted that Saudi Arabia had last week, also successfully celebrated its 85th National Day.
The Consul-General said he would continue to work to sustain the existing cordial relations between Sokoto State, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. ( NAN)