By Ahmed Idris
Nigeria is prepared to help South Sudan stabilise politically and economically, President Muhammadu Buhari, said on Tuesday.
Receiving the Special Envoy of the South Sudanese President, Mr Ezekiel Gatkuoth, at State House in Abuja, the President said Nigeria and South Sudan have a lot in common in the area of developmental aspirations.
“It has not been smooth sailing for us all the way, too. But since South Sudan wants to share from our experience, we will support where we can, and pray hard for your stability,” he said.
The President advised the leaders of South Sudan to keep making sacrifices “till the environment is completely stabilized,” stressing that stability should always be number one priority.
“You can’t manage a country efficiently till you have first stabilized it. Then, the economy must follow. You must provide jobs for the people, particularly the youths. Also, you need to check corruption. Guide your national resources jealously. We will do our best to support,” the President said.
Also speaking, the Special Envoy of the South Sudanese President, Mr Ezekiel Gatkuoth, who is also the Minister of Petroleum, said President Buhari was widely admired across the continent for his role in fighting corruption, stressing that it was the reason the African Union made him a champion of the anti-corruption crusade in Africa.
He said South Sudan was putting its house in order, but needed assistance from Nigeria in the areas of security transformation, constitutional reforms and infrastructural development.
