• Says FG using twin approach to deal with N’Delta Avengers

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has disclosed that names of those who looted recovered funds were not released in order not to jeopardise ongoing investigations.
The Federal Government had, at the weekend, released a list of sums of monies and assets recovered in the last one year, excluding the names of individuals involved.
The vice president gave the explanation during a meeting with a delegation of the European Union (EU) led by the Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Michel Ariron at the Presidential Villa.
Said Osinbajo: “We have released the list of recovered loot; we know people are asking for the names, but, releasing the names may jeopardise ongoing investigations.”
The vice president further disclosed that the federal government was engaging leaders and people of the Niger Delta regarding the spate of attacks on oil installations in the area, an act he described as economic sabotage. Government, he said, was also beefing up security.
He said the focus of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration “is to ensure that the man on the street in the Niger Delta enjoys the benefit from all that is available there,” while calling on the leaders in the region to be accountable to the people.
Osinbajo added that government was working round the clock to minimize losses arising from the attacks and added, “we are talking, we are ensuring that we minimise losses and we are stepping up security. We are also engaging the international oil companies (IOCs) to see what options exists.”
On economic issues, Osinbajo restated government’s commitment to drive its diversification policy and encouraged investors from European countries to take advantage of the situation, especially in the agro-allied processing industry.
He restated government’s determination to ensure  the ease of doing business ranking in Nigeria goes up by, at least, 20 steps in the World Bank rating. To this end, he said the president has approved the composition of a Presidential Commission on the matter to be chaired by himself, the VP and Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah, as Vice Chairman.
“In the next few months, we should be seeing some changes,” he assured.
Earlier in his remarks, Arrion said he came to hold consultations with the Vice President as a follow-up on President Buhari’s meeting with EU leaders during his visit to the continent, adding that “Nigeria has a huge market we can invest in. It is also a place we can export from.”
Also discussed were the EU trade deal with ECOWAS, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) which was also one of the main issues tabled at the meeting of West African leaders over the weekend in Dakar.