Follow Due Process In Signing Agreements, Expert Tells Govt

A Trade and Economic Development Law Advocate, Mr Ken Ukaoha, has urged government officials to adopt a consultative approach toward signing of agreements to ensure effective implementation.
Ukaoha, also the President, National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) made the call in an interview with The Tide source Abuja.
Ukaoha, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s approach toward the negotiations and recent signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
“This is the first time in the country we have had such a progressive approach toward signing and committing people into an agreement, government officials should endeavour to replicate this,’’ he said.
Ukaoha lamented that in the past before the present administration, government officials used to sign agreements in and out of the country without consultation, studies and analysis to look at various elements of the subject matter.
“Before this administration came into place, anybody wearing the toga of government could go out of this country and sign an agreement or pacts on behalf of the country, without clear enumeration of the cost and benefits of such agreement.
“It could even be a Director, Minister or Chief Executive Officer of a parastatal, signing without clearance from the people that own the agreement,  especially the stakeholders that are critical in that particular sector.
“So there was no process of consultation, studies and analysis that look at the various elements of the subject matter. Somebody will just get up with his badge as an official of government and sign such agreement in or out of this country.