The Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of implementation between Nigeria-Namibia bilateral cooperation on culture and tourism dated in 1992.
The minister gave the expression when he received the Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Humphrey Geiseb, in Abuja.
A statement signed by the Special Assistant to the President (Media) Office of the Minister of Information and Culture, Segun Adeyemi.
Lai Mohammed noted that under a platform of the 1st Nigeria-Namibia Joint Commission, it is regrettably to say that the cooperation expired without implementation, thus calling for the implementation of the various MoUs between both countries in order to boost economies.
“Because the agreement on tourism cooperation between both countries suffered from lack of follow-up, a separate MOU on tourism cooperation was decided upon during the 3rd session of the Joint Commission in 2008, and signed six years later, in 2014.
“Unfortunately, the MOU, which had a lifespan of five years, has expired and, until then, nothing was done by our two countries. I am aware that efforts are on to renew the MoU for another five years. Hopefully, this time, we will act to implement the MoU,”
The Minister also expressed optimism that both country’s film industries will collaborate to feature movies to better describe both cultures while applauding the offer by the Namibian government towards improving Elephant conservation in Nigeria.
According to him, going by global warming and poaching, African wildlife is in danger of extinction.
“The animals, which comprised of 10 Giraffes, 53 Burchell’s Zebras, 14 Elands, 23 Blue Wildebeests, 21 Red Hartebeests, 24 Oryx, 26 Kudus, 52 Springboks, and 56 Common Impalas, were placed at the Sumu Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.”
Meanwhile, the Namibian High Commissioner Mr. Humphrey Geiseb, Commend the Nigerian government for supporting the struggle to attain her independence adding that their next meeting will seek to consider all the various areas of cooperation between the two countries and with additional areas of cooperation such as “creative industries, beef infrastructure, animal conservation, tourism as well as oil and gas sector.”