The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has again raised concerns over its funding difficulties, prompting a visit by its Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) on Monday.
Ahmed met with the Accountant-General, Dr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, to press for more reliable financing and faster disbursement of the ministry’s budgeted allocations.
The ministry has struggled in recent years with delayed funding for its missions abroad, resulting in reports of unpaid bills and operational setbacks.
After the meeting, a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, on Tuesday said discussions “focused on improving the finances of the Ministry, particularly the timely release of budgeted funds to our diplomatic missions abroad and headquarters, and also engaged in wider deliberations in areas of mutual interest.”
Neither office released details of any concrete commitments made.
After nearly two years without substantive envoys following the recalls of diplomats from Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions, President Bola Tinubu on November 26 forwarded three ambassador-designates to the Senate, all of whom have now been cleared.
Three days later, on November 29, the President submitted an additional list of 32 nominees.
Then, on December 4, he sent another letter to the Senate, expanding the list to a total of 65 nominees.
The nominees include former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; retired Vice Admiral and former Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas; former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; former Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, among others.
