Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has described the just concluded official visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Germany as “very successful and a worthwhile visit.’’
Okorocha made his opinion known in Abuja on Sunday while addressing State House correspondents on the outcome of the three-day official visit.
The governor, who was part of the president’s entourage, noted that President Buhari discussed issues of common interest with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The visit to Germany was a worthwhile visit, we enjoyed a lot of courtesies, I feel very proud as a Nigerian and to see our nation’s flag flying in Germany and the President discussed issues of common interest with the German Chancellor.
“We are beginning to gain back our dignity and respectability among nations, I think this is not far from the type of leadership Nigeria has now.
“The respect that is given to Nigerians now is the respect given to our President that is trickling down. I feel proud in spite of the challenges we are facing as a nation.
According to him, the two leaders discussed among other things, the need to de-emphasise the issue of formal education for vocational education.
“This goes to say that Nigeria was going along the right way but deviated, what drives German today is not formal education but informal education, skill acquisition.’’
On about two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, Okorocha stated that President Buhari made it clear to his German counterpart that he intended to restore economic activities in the North Eastern part of the country.
“In Nigeria here we have almost 2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), and not only displaced, the entire school system was shut down for about four to five years.
“So, we have a lot of challenges in that regard but Mr President made it clear that he intends to restore economic activities in the North East.
“We also would like partnership or assistance from any caring nation and German government willing to assist Nigeria in that regard.
“Most importantly, is to stamp down the cause of the refuge, which is the activities of Boko Haram and this government is making frantic efforts to bring it to an end,” he said.
The governor stated that the post-Boko Haram era was even bigger than the Boko Haram activities itself, but noted that the President was doing something about it.
On those calling on President Buhari to take a second look on his cabinet with a view to effecting changes where necessary, the governor stated that there was nothing wrong for the president to listen to such calls.
According to him, as a governor he knows where the shoe pinches more.
“It is natural that people who are in the game and those who outside tend to see more, if there is a clarion call for Mr President to take a look at his cabinet and bring in more people.
“There is nothing wrong for Mr President to take note of comments by people because if everyone keeps saying the same thing, there may be sense in what they are saying but that is not really the situation that should create a big hullabaloo.
“Most members of the party felt that they have not been carried along, I know that many of them complain every day, they want board appointments released so that there will be calm.
“The people from the South East said they have not been appointed; the people from the North East and even from the North West where Mr. President comes from said that they have not been appointed.
“Some local governments and villages are saying they have not been remembered, so at what point do we draw this line but there is always room for amendment because there is no perfection.’’(NAN)