Trios Foundation and its team of over 840 Community Peace Practitioners spread across the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT have called for collaboration with the Chinese government to build the capacity of community leaders, emerging leaders and influencers across Nigeria in commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Peace which is celebrated all over the world every year on 21st of September.
The Executive Director of Trios Foundation institute and National Team Lead of Community Peace Practitioners (CPP), Pastor Ade Bodunde in a press statement issued to Blueprint said the Chinese government and its private sector is no doubt making its mark in the investment landscape across all the sectors of the Nigeria economy.
Pastor Bodunde while speaking in commemoration of the International Peace Day explained that with these huge bilateral relationship with Nigeria, grassroots civil society organization like Trios Foundation and the Community Peace Practitioners, sustainable development can only be built successfully on sustainable peace, only in this can the Chinese investment make enduring impact.
It was reported that the Chinese government developed finance projects ranging from a $2.5 billion loan for Nigerian rail, power, and telecommunications projects in 2008, to an MoU for $1 billion for the construction of houses and water supply in Abuja in 2009, and several rail networks.
Since 2000, trade relations have risen exponentially. There has been an increase in total trade of over 10,384 million dollars between the two nations from year 2000. However, the structure of the China-Nigerian trade relationship is a major political issue because Chinese exports has accounted for around 80 percent of total bilateral trade volumes with Nigeria.
This has resulted in a serious trade imbalance with Nigeria importing ten times more than it exports to China. Nigeria’s economy is becoming over-reliant on foreign imports to sustain itself, resulting in a clear decline in Nigerian Industry under such arrangements. In September 2018, Nigeria signed a $328 million loan with China to heavily boost the development of telecommunication infrastructures in Nigeria but all these still leaves a huge gap amidst its teaming youth unemployment and growing insecurity challenges.
On it part, Bodunde explained that Trios Foundation Institute is the education center of Trios Human Development Foundation which is the parent body for Community Peace Practitioners (CPP) that is involved in training community leaders, emerging leaders and influencers through online and onsite training programs.
In his words “For youth empowerment what we do is mainly peace education, vocational training, and continuing education through Trios Foundation Institute and our Community Peace Practitioners program nationwide with over 840 members spread across the 36 States of Nigeria and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja”
He further said as professional Community Peace Practitioners the outcome is to have more peaceful and resilient society without which there can’t be assured security, economic stability and conducive business environment.
