The Nigerian Senate has appointed the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, as Chairmen, Nigeria-Morocco, Nigeria-GermanyParliamentary Friendship Group respectively.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, while announcing the appointment at plenary sessionon Tuesday, also announced other members of the Nigeria-Germany group. They areSenators Enyinnaya Abaribe,Abubakar Kyari, Monsura Sunnmonu, Ben Murray Bruce andDavid Umaru.

Members of the Nigeria-Morocco parliamentary group include Senators Philip Aduda, Abdullahi Adamu, and Bukar Abba Ibrahim, among others.

The Senate plenary session of Wednesday, March 29, 2017 accordingly, presented the ultimate approval of reports of Parliamentary visit of the Senate President Bukola Saraki to Berlin, Germany from the March 8 – 10, 2017 standing in the name Sen. Munsurat Sunmonu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, and presented for consideration by Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe.

The Senate had adopted the recommendations of the report and resolved as follows: The Senate to consolidate on this parliamentary relationship by inviting the German Chancellor to visit Nigeria; Senate to invite the President of the German parliament to visit Nigeria; the Senate to consolidate on the Bilateral Relationship between Nigeria and Germany most importantly on the fight against Boko Haram terrorism; the National Assembly should establish the Nigeria/Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group. It also resolved to call on the Federal Government to deploy a seasoned Diplomat to head the Nigeria Embassy in Germany; Senate to send a letter of appreciation to the German Parliament and Government for the warm reception accorded the Senate President; Call on the Federal Government to take step at reforming the dormant Nigeria Mission in Germany.

Senate had also received the report of parliamentary visit of the Senate President, to Rabat and Dakhla, Morocco from the 16th – 18th March, 2017. The report was presented for consideration by Sen. Adamu for adoption. Consequently, three recommendations of the report were adopted as follows:

i) The Senate congratulates the Parliament of Morocco for successfully hosting the Senate President.

ii) Senate Committees should form new Bi-lateral Relationship with Committees of Moroccan Parliament.

iii) Invite the President of Senate, Morocco Parliament for a Parliamentary visit to Nigeria.

The visit to the German and Morocco Parliament by the leadership of the Nigeria legislature will present opportunities for the visitors to explain the economic policies of the present administration and the legislative support being offered by the National Assembly in that regard. The Senators will further solicit support from the two countries for Nigeria’s drive for diversification of its economy and solicit the support of their business community.