By Daniel Idonor
ABUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday vowed that his administration will implement policies and programmes that will bring Nigeria at par with other global destinations in terms of foreign investments.

This was coming on the heels of increased trade between Nigeria and the Netherlands on one hand and the trade between Nigeria and China which hit $11 billion annually.

Nigeria and Netherlands trade has risen from about $2 billion in 2006 to $4 billion currently; while the volume of annual trade between Nigeria and China is now about $7 billion per annum, up from $3 billion in 2006.

Speaking at separate meetings with the outgoing Ambassadors of China and the Netherlands, the President maintained that the Federal Government will do all it can to attract greater foreign investment to Nigeria.

According to him, government was conscious of the fact that foreign investors will help to create more employment opportunities for the country’s growing population of youth.

“We have a growing population of young people and as a government we have an enormous responsibility to plan and prepare for their future. Greater foreign investment will clearly help us in creating more gainful employment for our youth and we will do all we can to promote it,” President Jonathan said.

He expressed satisfaction with the increased volume of bilateral trade between Nigeria, China and the Netherlands, saying that Nigeria was now opening its doors to foreign investors more than ever before.

He disclosed that sectors of the economy such as aviation, power supply and the development of infrastructure, previously run by the government alone, were now open to private investors from within and outside the country.

He assured the outgoing Ambassadors that his administration was doing everything possible to deal with all outstanding domestic issues which could discourage foreign investors, saying that significant progress was being made in areas such as peace in the Niger Delta and power supply.

President Jonathan reiterated his commitment to good governance, as well as free and fair elections in Nigeria next year, adding that steps will be taken to plug gaps in the electoral system which made it difficult to conduct credible elections in the past.

He thanked Ambassador Arie Van Der Wiel  of the Netherlands and Ambassador  Xu Jiango of China for their efforts in the past four years to promote trade and co-operation between Nigeria and their respective countries, and wished them well at their new posts.

Mr. Van der Wiel told the President that the volume of annual trade between Nigeria and the Netherlands had risen from about $2 billion when he arrived in 2006 to $4 billion currently, while Mr. Jiango reported that the volume of annual trade between Nigeria and China now stood at about $7 billion per annum, up from $3 billion in 2006.