Follow Us on Google
(By Fred Itua, ABUJA)
The National Assembly has concluded plans to aid the country’s embassies across the world, by ensuring that they have sufficient funds to operate and give quality representation to Nigerian interests abroad.
As part of decisions taken at a joint meeting of the Appropriation Committees of both chambers with the executive during the virement review exercise, legislators agreed that the N14.6 billion provided for the missions in the virement request by the Presidency under consideration be increased by the National Assembly.
The lawmakers said the embassies should be well-funded in order to effectively execute their mission.
“During our discussion, we agreed that our embassies are public relations centres for the nation. They shape international perception of our country. Now that we are trying to attract investors and build investors’ confidence in our economy, our embassy must be put in a pole position to coordinate the efforts at the foreign level to revive our economy. They must be well-funded and well-managed to confidently provide prompt, efficient and good services for intending visitors to our country.
“We also expect our embassies to be more pro-active in serving our fellow country people resident in their various countries of domicile, co-ordinate how we market Nigeria to the international community and attract the right attention to our country.
“We will relate with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Investment to ensure the embassies have (their) new mandates and fulfill them. The funds approved for them must also be released on time. The committees on foreign affairs and finance must ensure this,” a source who was privy to the discussions at National Assembly leadership meeting said.
