President Goodluck
Jonathan  last Monday asked African leaders to make a greater effort to achieve more significant improvements on the continent’s human development indicators.
The president spoke at an audience with Zambia’s new High Commissioner to Nigeria, retired Lt.-Col. Newton Nkunika, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Jonathan said that while notable macro-economic growth had been achieved across the continent in recent years, African leaders must now focus more on translating such gains into improved living conditions for their people.
He said that Africa’s political independence would only become truly meaningful to its citizens with visible improvements in human development indicators.
He listed the indicators to include reduction in poverty levels, access to better healthcare facilities, good education and employment opportunities for children.
Jonathan said that the challenge of poverty had unfortunately continued to blur other achievements in Africa since the continent attained political liberation.
He said that African leaders clearly needed to prioritise job creation and poverty reduction.
“African countries need to improve on trade and investment as this is the only way to create jobs and to reduce poverty.
“Nigeria will continue to encourage intra-African trade and business as that will help to move the continent forward,’’ he said.
The president also urged other African leaders to fulfil promises of opening up their economies to greater regional and intra-continental trade.
He also urged the leaders to re-position their countries to attract more foreign direct investments through increased political and economic stability.
The president also received letters of credence from the new Ambassador of Denmark to Nigeria, Ms. Margit Thomsen, and the new Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Mr. Johannes Groffenf.
Welcoming all three new ambassadors to the country, the President urged them to work for enhanced bilateral relations between their countries and Nigeria.
President Jonathan also received the outgoing Ambassador of Burkina Faso, Mr. Dramare Yameogo.
He commended Mr. Yameogo for his efforts to improve on the existing cordial relations between Nigeria and Burkina Faso and wished him success in his future assignments.