Implementation of Chad Basin policies too slow - Yar’Adua

Bankole Makinde, Abuja - 26.03.2008

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua on Tuesday frowned on the slow pace of execution of policies enunciated for the development of the Lake Chad Basin by the helmsmen of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

The criticism came just as former Agriculture and Water Resources Minister, Engineer Bunu Sheriff, disclosed that the Federal Government had invited Libya , Congo and the Central African Republic to join the body.

Speaking at the 54th ordinary session of the LCBC Council of Ministers and the preparatory ministerial session of the 12th summit of LCBC heads of state and government which held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Yar’Adua said he was amazed to learn that some of the issues tabled for deliberation at the meeting had been policies formulated over 30 years ago.

He said 30 years was more than enough of a time for any serious people to execute a project and urged all those contending military powers in war zones of the sub-region to lay down their arms and embrace peaceful means initiated by Nigeria.

The President, represented by Chief Ojo Madueke, the Foreign Minister, challenged the policy executors of the commission to take a leap of imagination of 50 years from now and plan positively ahead for the body.

He, however, admitted that the commission had made laudable contributions to the sub-region in spite of daunting problems facing it in the areas of regional integration, economic stability and conflict resolution.