Date: 2009-05-23

The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr. Johnnie Carson has described Nigeria as the US most important strategic partner in the Continent. He disclosed this at the meeting with the members of the Nigeria Governors' Forum led by their chairman, Dr Bukola Saraki in Washington on Wednesday.

The Governors who were in the US on a working visit, includes Alhaji Issa Yuguda of Bauchi, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom and Comrade Adams Oshiomole of Edo 

Mr Carson while receiving the delegation expressed the need to strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and the US , promising to push the process that will further deepen the US-Nigeria relationship.

He commended the Governors for their patriotic initiative and assured them of his commitment to their course, adding that his doors are open to the Governors Forum at all times.

Carson described the Governors’ visit as a new dawn in the US-Nigeria relationship, "This is a new dawn in the relationship between our two countries, we have never had it so good" he said. He noted that the Governors were the first foreign visitors he was receiving since he resumed office on Monday.

Responding, Dr Saraki explained the mission and the vision of the Governors’ forum which he said was to foster good governance in the country, adding that the visit to the US was to help foster good governance and best practices on bilateral relations.

The Governors also visited the Capitol Hill, America 's legislative power house where they had a meeting with Black America's most powerful congress woman, Mrs. Sheila Jackson-Lee.

Welcoming the Governors to her office, Mrs Jackson-Lee observed that the visit was the first by any delegation of Governors from Africa to any congress person on the Capitol Hill. She said she will be leading a delegation of the congress to the West Africa sub-region very soon.

She commended Nigeria for her efforts on the global peace-keeping, especially in Dafur , Liberia and Sierra-Leone. Adding that, Nigeria made a lot of sacrifices. Mrs. Jackson who wields enormous influence in American politics disclosed that she is at the fore-front of the fight for the reconstructive foreign policy between Nigeria and the US , so that Nigeria could be viewed positively in the US .

In his own remarks Saraki reiterated the vision and the mission of the Governors’ forum. He said the forum will be interacting with its counterpart, the National Governors Association, NGA in the US , noting that the forum will be the first in Africa to do so.
 
Saraki stated further that the forum could be a platform for interaction between Nigeria and US on important sectors like health, education and infrastructure, stressing that the forum is being strengthened to help articulate and focus on these issues.
 
Also speaking, Governor Yuguda said Nigeria sees US as a friend to take her and the entire Sub-Sahara to greater heights so that focus could shift from disease, hunger and AIDS to more progressive issues. He also talked at length on issues of perception of Nigeria in the US and urged the congresswoman to help correct the negative perception.
 
Gov. Akpabio said there is need for US to encourage her agencies to invest in Nigeria as the Asian countries are already in the fore-front of inroad into the Nigeria economy.
 

Billy Adedamola

S.A Media to the Kwara State Governor
23/05/09