FRENCH PRESIDENT SAYS FRANCE CAN'T FIX NIGERIA'S PROBLEM

President Emmanuel Macron of  France on Tuesday said that France cannot fix the African problems, but only if security and good economic base are provided  by the African leaders would solve their problems.

He also said that he was concerned on the problem of terrorism and jihad-ism in the country and that he was commuted to having a strong bilateral relations with Nigeria in the areas of fighting terrorism,, improving the economy, sports and cultural development. This is as Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Macron held talks at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja during which agreements for French assistance totaling $475 million for projects in Lagos, Kano and Ogun states were signed.

The Lagos deal is a letter of intent for the financing of urban mobility improvement project via a loan of $200millon. This will involve development of eight priority bus corridors connected to the Lagos mass transit network. In Ogun State, a French firm in conjunction with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority is to mobilise from investors about $200 million for land reclamation to correct the massive degradation of arable land being witnessed in the state.

The project aims to reforest 108,000 hectares of depleting forest in Ogun, which the State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, hailed as very vital to not only address climate change challenges and recreating the forest, but also provide employment to the people of the state.