The recent international scandal of grounding and seizure of Nigeria presidential jets through a court order obtained by a Chinese company has opened up deep structural weakness and bad political will in Nigeria’s business climate.
Specifically, a Chinese company caused a French court to seize three aircraft belonging to the federal government of Nigeria following a business disagreement with one of the federating states – Ogun State government.
The disagreement is as a result of a 2007 contract between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment and Nigeria’s South-Western Ogun State to develop a free-trade zone where a massive industrial park was to be developed to attract investors.
This type of action – seizing presidential jets is akin to a declaration of war against the Nigerian government for any country to seize the official plane of the Nigerian president.
Can any country seize the presidential jets of the US president or the British Prime Minister? Can any one try that with France?
It is sad to note that this Chinese company has brought the integrity of the nation into disrepute and actually scandalized business undertakings in Nigeria. It is even more painful that Chinese of all nations will choose to ridicule our nation internationally as if the matter cannot be resolved diplomatically.
It is interesting that, this unsavoury development has rightly provoked a patriotic anger among Nigerians who are calling for a critical review of business and diplomatic relations with the Chinese, especially the activities of the Chinese business men in Nigeria.
One fact is that most, if not all, Chinese companies operating anywhere in the world are either owned by Chinese government or controlled by their government. There is no doubt that the Chinese government is aware of this indecent business conduct against the federal government of Nigeria.
This brings me to the liberal access Nigerian government grants Chinese companies and citizens to operate freely in almost all sectors of our economy without proper check. Many Nigerian business concerns have entered rough business terrains with Chinese businesses and heaven did not fall.
The spate of invasion of the Nigerian solid minerals sector by the Chinese nationals without thorough official scrutiny is particularly worrisome.
Any where the Chinese operate, they do so with impunity and most times they don’t respect rules and regulations.
The Chinese have the penchant to extract and exploit mineral resources of a nation without commensurate royalties. They do this by using indigenous peripheral business accomplices who lack any element of patriotism and national pride.
It is, therefore, essential for the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to check the export of our minerals resources with the view to ensuring proper loyalties and taxes are paid to Nigeria’s coffer.
May I further advise that mining licenses issued to Chinese companies should be properly scrutinized and the fees charged to these foreign businesses be revisited as they are too paltry.
It will take a life time investment to get same from their country. It is even impossible. Proxies pose serious danger and sabotage to indigenous investors in this sector .
The dominance by these firms, particularly the Chinese, has undermined the growth and development of prospective indigenous Nigerian business concerns in the mining sector.
The need to scrutinize the mining licenses issued to these rampaging Chinese miners in very imperative. Many were issued before this administration.
It is in doubt if many of them have Letter of No Objection or Clearance Letter from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and State governments whose consents will determine their acceptability and fulfilment of all requirements.
Many of them have equally not met the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements. I therefore call on Nigerians to support the Solid Minerals Development Agenda of the federal government as we have a minister who is poised to make a difference.
– Liman, writes from Maiduguri
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