S’Sudan seeks Nigeria’s assistance on security training

The Punch - Nigeria

The Republic of South Sudan has said it needs the assistance of Nigeria in the areas of  training for its security personnel, many of whom were former rebels, who were conscripted into the security agencies.
South Sudan Vice President, James Igga, who said this while responding to questions from journalists at the inaugural meeting of the South Sudan Nigerian Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Abuja on Friday, explained that the security situation in his country had improved tremendously.
Igga stated that the peace process in his country would resume soon, noting that the crisis would have been resolved but for the shifting positions of the rebel leaders whom he blamed for the continuous violence in parts of South Sudan.
The VP called on Nigerian businessmen and investors to take advantage of the economic opportunities in the young nation, adding that South Sudan has large tracts of fertile land as well as untapped mineral resources, which serious-minded entrepreneurs could invest in.
Igga said, “We need capacity training for teachers, the civil service and students;  we also need security training for the security personnel. We want Nigeria to assist with the training of the Army and the police.
“You know, most of them were guerrillas and if you are a guerrilla, you learn to shoot at people, but you can imagine if you convert such a person into the police, what would happen? So we need security training for our personnel.”
Meanwhile, a South African expatriate, Dezray Naidoo, has tasked the Federal Government to focus on development of tourism in the country, stating that the nation stands to gain a lot economically and socially.
According to her, Nigeria could earn huge foreign exchange if the new government implements policies that encourage the tourism and hospitality industry to grow, stressing that her country, South Africa, generates huge revenue from the sector.
Naidoo, who is the Corporate Affairs Services Manager, Bolingo Hotel, Abuja, explained that she plans to employ Nigerians in the Diaspora to tap into their skills and enrich the workforce of the hotel.