The Nigerian Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Amb. Yakubu Ahmed, says Nigerians are the pride of the black man.
The envoy made this known in a statement by the Nigerian Embassy in Doha, Qatar and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
Ahmed in his Independence Day’s message joins millions of Nigerians in Diaspora to wish the Government and people of Nigeria Happy 61st Independence Anniversary.
He described Nigeria as ”a unique nation, blessed with abundant human and natural resources, which has continued to provide leadership at the global stage which gives a sense of pride to the black man.”
He, therefore, called on Nigerians to demonstrate love, peace and unity in their resolve to take the country to greater heights.
The envoy used the occasion to commend the cordial relations between Nigeria and Qatar.
He stated that the lofty objectives, shared friendship and excellent bilateral relations coupled with cooperation at the multilateral level had continued to wax stronger over the years.
According to Ahmed, a good example was the high-level bilateral engagements between both countries such as the state visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Qatar in 2016 and the state visit of His Highness, Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar to Nigeria in 2019.
“The commitment to regional peace and development by the highly respected leaders, their zero tolerance for corruption and dedication to the implementation of multilateral agreements tailored towards making the world a better place has continued to endear them to their citizens and admirers across the globe.”
The Nigerian principal representative lauded the people-oriented and good leadership style of the Amir of Qatar for creating a peaceful environment and providing opportunities for foreign nationals to render professional services in different areas of specialisation.
“There is a teaming population of over 7,000 highly qualified and experienced Nigerian nationals such as medical practitioners, engineers, property development experts and service providers among others that are performing excellently in diverse sectors,” he stated.
The Ambassador reiterated the fact that Nigeria was poised to increase cooperation with Qatar especially in the areas of Agriculture, Oil and Gas, Mining, and infrastructural development.
He added that it informed his strategic engagements upon assumption of duty with relevant top government functionaries of host authorities and captains of industries to actualise his mandate.
He, therefore, called on Qatari nationals and other potential investors to take advantage of the vast investment opportunities in the giant of Africa.
“This is because the Nigerian government has deliberately designed incentives in line with global best practices in ease of doing business that guarantees the return on investment.
“While some of these incentives are in the form of tax holidays, exemptions, and reliefs, there are many more that leverage specific government policies, the performance of the companies as well as relevant international investment treaties,” he said.
Ahmed also used the occasion to salute the Nigerian Community in Qatar that parades an array of seasoned professionals.
He stated that the Embassy was very proud of them and their laudable achievements as they continue to add value to society.
He, therefore, encouraged them to respect and abide by the rules and regulations of the host country and to continue to fly the Nigerian flag higher.