Lawrence Olaoye 
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that no country in the world could develop if it is hampered by severe deficit in infrastructure. His spokesman, Femi Adesina, in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, said the President made this assertion while receiving the outgoing Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Dr. Zhou Pingjian, at a virtual farewell audience. “Please convey our appreciation to President Xi Jinping for the contribution of China towards reversing the infrastructure deficit we suffer in the areas of rail, roads, airports and power.
There’s no way a country can develop without these things,” Buhari said. He added that China had played its role effectively in all the Memoranda of Understanding signed with Nigeria, “and we quite appreciate it.” Buhari said he had followed the “highly mobile” activities of Pingjian in the past four years, “and you have visited all our 36 states.
I see you all over the media, you have the energy and health, and you have performed effectively.” The outgoing Ambassador, who has been in Nigeria since September 2016, described his tour of duty as “highly rewarding time,” saying he appreciates the government and people of Nigeria greatly. “I have been privileged to visit all the 36 states of the country, I have seen the remarkable progress being made, and under your leadership, I am confident that Nigeria will fly higher,” Pingjian said.
