ONLY AFRICANS CAN SOLVE AFRICA'S PROBLEMS – SAMBO

The Vice President, Namadi Sambo has said despite the world being a global village, Africa's underdevelopment must be resolved by Africans.

Sambo told a delegation from the United States National Conference of Black Mayors, led by the Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, that the Federal Government was determined to address Nigeria's infrastructural deficiency, in areas such as power generation, transmission and distribution; roads, waterways, railways rehabilitation and construction; and the provision of cheap access to funds for the country's businesses.

The Vice President further said the forthcoming World Summit of Mayors 'couldn't have come at a better time, when most African countries were celebrating their 50 years of independence.'

He said the Summit would afford the Black Race an opportunity to partner for development.

He used the opportunity to urge the Conference of Mayors to facilitate partnerships and investments in power generation, transmission and distribution, transportation, access to affordable financing for businesses, oil and gas and education.

Earlier in his remark, Oyinlola, said that the purpose of the visit was to formerly, intimate the presidency on arrangements made to host the World Summit of Mayors, being jointly organised by the United States National Conference of Black Mayors, the World Conference of Mayors and the government of Osun State, slated for 8 December 8, with the theme 'Global Engagement of Local Leadership for

Universal Progress.'
In her remarks, the Executive Director, of the Conference Ms. Vanessa Williams said that the Summit would afford about 658 Mayors from the United States, Columbia, Haiti, the United Kingdom, and Brazil an avenue to meet and interact to spur partnerships.

Williams further said the Summit would focus on good governance, trade and investment, tourism, and education, and would also showcase a medical mission providing free treatment to Nigerians and also the provision of the Fulbright Scholarship to deserving Nigerian students.