r Wendell De Landro, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to Nigeria has said that his country is ready to expand trade and gas development relations with Nigeria.
De Landro made this known during the commemoration of the 60th Independence Anniversary of Trinidad and Tobago on Monday in Abuja.
The year-long celebration has as its theme and hashtag #Together60.
According to De Landro, Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria shares similarities in rich culture, natural resources which could be properly harnessed and traded for mutual benefits.
He also lamented the diminishing trade relations between both countries that enjoy strong bilateral relations which dates back 60 years from when Trinidad and Tobago got independence.
“Culture is one. Another thing is that we have our gas development.
“I know for a fact that in the south, Port Harcourt, the states that have oil they are flaring gas, that is sacrilege to me.
“And that is why when I came in 2018, I spoke to the Nigerian Gas Association about it, to show Nigeria what we can do about it.
“Right now, we are flaring probably half to three quarter of an LNG train, 700 cubic meters of gas being flared, one train is. Nigeria has six trains and is working on the seventh, we have four.
“We are using our gas, our LNG and we sell. Nigeria is doing that but they can do much more by harnessing that flared gas.
“The trade has diminished over the years, we were exporting bitumen to Nigeria. what we are doing now is to get agriculture products.
“We have small yams, but in Nigeria you have yams as big as my legs. I tell people that the sweetest pineapples I have eaten is in Nigeria.
“In Jos, you have tomatoes, we make ketchup in Trinidad, we can get tomatoes from Jos to export,” De Landro said.
De Landro said that as Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria are keen on strengthening relations across all spheres, he is working on leaving the Steelpan as legacy which will be infused in the Nigerian culture.
The envoy said that the has pushed for the Trinidad and Tobago’s originating instrument, the Steelpan to be inculcated in Nigeria’s school curriculum.
“The Steelpan back to Africa, and hence my reason for wanting to leave a legacy.
“Although we have pans here already, but I want to get in in schools in Nigeria whereby there is a socio-economic impact with pan.
“For example, to dedicate yourself to the pan you have to you cannot be idle and we can use that to motivate the youths and to get them away from different things.
“Besides which you can make money. By having a Steelpan i can play in the church, hotels, private parties,“ De Landro said.
Amb. Tunde Mustapha, Director Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated Trinidad and Tobago on the economic achievements it has recorded it the past sixty years.
Mustapha who spoke on behalf of the Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama said that Nigeria is committed to strengthening its relationship with Trinidad and Tobago.
“Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago share very warm and cordial relations dating back to the time of independence and our two countries have been able to solidify these cultural affinities over time.
“We wish to commend the government of Trinidad and Tobago for the giant strides they have achieved in bringing economic prosperity to their people.
“Trinidad and Tobago have been classified by the World Bank as a high-income country with the highest capital income in the region after the U.S and Canada.
“Nigeria is committed to strengthening these ties and bonds with Trinidad and Tobago and there are many areas for cooperation in the economic sphere that need to be explored as both countries are oil producing nations.
“The two countries also share common principles of peaceful, coexistence, non-aggression and non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations,” Mustapha said.
