Ned Nwoko Challenges Foreign Exploitation of Africa, Sues for Better Deals

Amidst economic and political challenges bedeviling African countries, a Nigerian Senator representing Delta North Senatorial district, Hon. Prince Ned Nwoko has identified foreign exploitation as the bane mitigating development of Africa.

Highlighting his goals at the National Assembly since assumption of office on May 29th, 2023, he told journalists in Delta State that his activities have been revolving around how African can be developed.

Speaking on the current status of Africa, he said “As a continent I feel we are deprived . Yes we have many problems but most of these were caused by the colonialist. If you have lived in the UK or America as I have you will understand that we are so blessed with so many resources.

“But the arrangement of t Post Independence which people call independent nation but we are not really independent . we are not a le to fend for ourselves. We are not able to manufacture things ourselves. Africa still relies heavily on goods imported to Africa.

“ So ask ourselves how we are not able to process these raw materials into finished goods and by the time we do this, one factory will so busy employing people earning salaries, who are very comfortable but No. we sell the raw materials them and the use their own labour to process, refine and send back to you are a huge cost.

“So we might have been independent political but economically we have tied down ourselves.”

Opposing Africa’s foreign reserve being retained outside the continent, he said “ As a country, our foreign reserve is domiciled outside the country. So is it with the Camerounians. The french-speaking country foreign Reserve is domiciled in France. This was the agreements we had before we became independent. So we are still behaving like our forefathers did in 1960.

“America also have their own reserve. The French have their own reserve, the Chinese have their own Reserve but where are those reserve? They are not called foreign reserve, the reserve are in their own country, just like you having your own Savings in a bank of your choice. Do you give your savings to foreigners to keep for you? Only a stupid man will do that. You can imagine if our so-called foreign Reserves are brought back and domiciled in our own Banks here, say you split this among like ten Banks. Let’s say 40 million dollars in our Reserves. Instead of being left in the New York. They use it to finance loans for their people.

“So that money along with others help foreign countries to run their economies. So why are we not doing the same? Why don’t we call it quits with them? You know what those accounts needs to be closed. Bring them back here to be managed by like 10 different banks with Strict instruction on the money. You let them know that they can loan to teachers at no more than 5% interest rate. You loan to journalists, loan to doctors. You can even learn to students, who wants, instead of us to just carry on us if we don’t have common sense.”

Speaking on the recent military juntas across Africa, he said “ I am totally opposed to any country in Africa going to war with another African country on behalf of America or others.

“they said we should move ECOWAS to mobilize, put soldiers together to go and remove a man that is fighting them. Telling them, look they should stop exploiting us. Telling them ‘the uranium you are taking from us is enough. We know how much you sell it at London Market. You buy from us with peanuts and you take it there and say at huge profits.’ Because those soldiers, they call them juntas say, we don’t want them to carry on that way. They now called that they should go and remove them. You cannot remove them.

“And if you look at the pictures or the videos from these countries, whether in Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Mali, you will see that These people are so happy that they are patriotic people Who want to stop exploitation.

“When the president sought the support of the Senate to position our military against Niger Republic , I was one of those that vehemently resisted for various reasons. That is because I love Africa and I feel Africa has not really gotten a good deal. “

Also pointing out foreign exploitation in Nigeria, he maintained that “ It is happening in Nigeria as well in the oil sector. The oil companies agreements are one sided.

“They are operating with the pre-1960 agreements Which is one-sided, something that they chose to do. How many Nigerians are involved in the production of crude? We are not even involved fully in refining, because there are processes from where you produce crude from to where you refine it. We are just involved in the distribution. That is when it is refined, Then it is brought back.

“Most of them don’t take us seriously, their duties to host communities. They just do whatever they like. Even when there is spillage. They destroyed the environment and they carry on as if nothing is happening, they will still wait for Nigeria government to budget for the cleanup.

“They will not do that in America they will not do that in other oil-producing nations. There are international best practices that they will be compelled to comply with but they do it in Nigeria because of conspiracy with some of the people.”

“The bottom line is that we are terribly exploited, we need to look at the agreements. We need to make them account for all that they are doing.”

The senator however identified reparations as one of the ways to check the issue of exploitation , saying that he had already taken a step to approach the British Prime Minister of Britain on his concerns.

He added that he is also focusing on areas that have to do with flooding, environmental degradation, pollution through gas flaring and roads across the country.