…no development aide to Nigeria from Netherlands.
The first secretary of the kingdom of Netherlands to Nigeria, Tessel Kuijten visiting Calabar, Cross River’s capital for the first time from Lagos said the garbage on the street was capable of ruining the experience of every visitor to Nigeria.
The first secretary of the kingdom Netherlands’ economic affairs to Nigeria stated this in an interview with newsmen while attending Cuso International’s The Youth Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Access and Development (YouLead) programme in Calabar on Wednesday.
Narrating her experience, Kuijten said she witnessed children eating and littering the streets without control, an aspect she said has a lot of untold effect on the Nigerian environment as a whole.
“Garbage strewn on the streets everywhere ruins the experience of any visitor,” she said.
To curtail this trend, the diplomat sued for environmental education at all levels.
On Netherlands contribution Kuijten said her country was yet to have any existing direct development aide to Nigeria and will only prefer to deal with the private sector driven economy of the nation.
“We don’t have development aides so more of our involvement has been private sector driven,” Kuijten said.
But posited that Netherlands was, nevertheless ready to assist where there appear big business opportunities that require their assistance to foster.
On deforestation, the diplomat faulted clash of interest between farmers and conservation proponents to be responsible for Nigeria’s high decline in forest deposit.
NAOMPON is Niger Delta Association of Online Media Practioners of Nigeria
