Oyetola Joins President Buhari For Trade Meeting In Chad

President Muhammadu Buhari will travel to N’Djamena, the capital of Chad Republic, on Saturday (today).

The President returned to the country just four days ago from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he attended an investment meeting.

Days before, he was in Amman, Jordan, for the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa.

For today’s trip to Chad, he is to take part in the Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, CEN-SAD.

A Presidency statement on Friday said the community was created by the Treaty of Tripoli on February 4, 1998 with six founding members.

It added that Nigeria joined the group in 2001, which now had  29 members.

Its objectives include seeking to create a free trade area in Africa, “strengthening peace, security and stability, and achieving global economic and social development of its members.”

The statement, which was signed by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, read partly, “Delegations from 22 member-nations are expected at the extraordinary meeting of CEN-SAD holding on Saturday at the Radisson Blu Hotel, N’Djamena.

“President Buhari and other regional leaders will join their host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD Conference, President Idriss Deby-Itn,  to deliberate among others on political and security issues, state of peace and ways to address multi-faceted threats in CEN-SAD area especially Boko Haram and refugees; and make a declaration on the entry into force of CEN-SAD revised Treaty intended to fast track the realisation of the objectives of the body.

“During the opening session of the conference, special awards will be given to Heads of State and military contingents in Mali, Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic and in the Lake Chad Basin.

“President Buhari will be accompanied to the CEN-SAD meeting by Governors Kashim Shettima, Akinwunmi Ambode and Adegboyega Oyetola of Borno, Lagos and Osun states respectively.

“Others include, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen Adulrahman Danbazau (retd.); Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen Mansur Dan Ali (retd.); National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Mohammed Monguno (retd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede; and the Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Sadiya Umar Farouq.

“The President will return to the country at the end of the conference on Saturday.”