Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, again on Tuesday took his quest for the urgent rehabilitation and reconstruction of the North-East Zone now devastated by the Boko Haram insurgents to the international community. Saraki while while receiving the Ambassador of South Korea, Mr. Noh Kyu-Duk, and the India High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. A.R. Ghanashyam who visited him separately in Abuja said rebuilding the North-east zone has become the responsibility of the global community. He lamented that the zone currently lacks functional hospitals, schools and other social amenities that make like worth living and specifically called on the two envoys and their countries to assist in the rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts of the Federal Government in the Northeast, which will immediately follow the seizure of insurgency operations in the area.

He stated that one of the major challenges confronting the country is the insecurity caused by the Boko Haram. "Nigerians are yearning for a move to address some key issues such as the security challenges we are seeing in Northeastern part of country. We went to visit the zone and our observation was that there is need for rehabilitation and reconstruction. They now lack schools, hospitals and houses. All these need to be totally rebuilt in most of those places.", he said.

"I think a lot of our friendly countries like yourself can play a role in this great humanitarian support to see what you can contribute to the development of the area because if we are going to reconstruct the Northeast today, it cannot just be from our regular inflows and revenues.

"I think it is a big responsibility for all our friends to see how they can contribute in putting together an infrastructure development fund that will go towards rebuilding the Northeast. The rebuilding of the Northeast should be a global responsibility", he said.

The Senate President also told his visitors that the Senate under his leadership is currently reviewing extant laws and also initiating new ones to make Nigeria an attractive investment destination.

He said: "We are ready as the Eighth Senate, and one of our legislative agenda that has been listed is reviewing all laws that have to do with making Nigeria more attractive for business people to do business, looking at legal instruments that will also improve our commercial dispute resolution and make people find Nigeria as a place that it will be easy to do business."

He added that the Senate was also interested in how Nigeria can deepen her trade relationship with South Korea and India.

Earlier, the South Korean Ambassador, Mr. Kyu-Duk, noted that the Senate President had already proved himself "as a visionary leader who is set to achieve the change agenda having delivered reforms and change in the areas of health, education, agriculture, security, power and environment as former Governor of Kwara State."

He added: "I am quite confident of your success in leading this august representative body to reform malfunctioning sectors of this country through proactive legislations. Nigeria is a second home to me."

On his part, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Ghanashyam, said his country desired improved business relationship with Nigeria, having sustained mutual understanding even before the two countries became independent.

Apart from the establishment of healthcare and educational facilities in the country, the envoy said that India is ready to partner Nigeria to diversify her economy through agriculture and the knowledge-based industry.

Signed

The Media Office of the Senate President