ADVERTISEMENT

Nigeria shuts down 3 embassies abroad due to insufficient funds

Nigeria has shut down its embassies in Sri Lanka, Czech Republic and Republic of Serbia.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama (left), said the closure of the embassies is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari's agenda [Green Reporters]

While speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said operations have been shut down in Sri Lanka, Czech Republic and the Republic of Serbia while the embassy in Ukraine has been drastically downsized.

He said the ministry has been unable to maintain the embassies due to insufficient funds, thereby enforcing the shutdowns because they're left in terrible states unbefitting of the nation's status.

He said, "Every embassy has written to us about their huge financial demands and when we go to these embassies we see clearly very unattractive state that does not reflect well on the country.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Very often the staff of the embassy really find things extremely difficult. Clearly, if we want to operate on the scale and scope in which we are at the moment with over a 100 missions around the world, we need to spend a lot more.

"What I am saying is that rather than having this terrible circle of inadequate funding for missions, headquarters and so forth we have to reduce the scope.

"We should have foreign missions that we can fund, we might not necessarily close the embassies per se, it might be reducing the number of staff in the embassies."

80 of Nigeria's embassies abroad were not captured for funding in the 2019 appropriation bill submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.

ADVERTISEMENT

While defending the budget estimate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs in April, the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Mustapha Suleiman, said only 30 embassies can be funded with the capital votes earmarked in the budget.

Since he was inaugurated in 2015, President Buhari has been vocal about reducing Nigeria's total of 119 foreign missions.

In September 2015, he announced that a committee would undertake a review of Nigerian foreign missions to determine those that are really essential so that appropriate standards and quality can be maintained.

"Let's keep only what we can manage. We can't afford much for now. There's no point in pretending," he told officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Video of weird school competition shows young students licking one another's feet

Video of weird school competition shows young students licking one another's feet

UniCal records highest number of first class graduates in 49 years

UniCal records highest number of first class graduates in 49 years

Army announces names of 17 soldiers killed in shocking Delta attack

Army announces names of 17 soldiers killed in shocking Delta attack

Ooni wants Ile-Ife, Modakeke indigenes to live together peacefully

Ooni wants Ile-Ife, Modakeke indigenes to live together peacefully

'Politics is not about being negative every time' — Peter Obi

'Politics is not about being negative every time' — Peter Obi

Army thinks Okuama community planned shocking murder of 16 soldiers in Delta

Army thinks Okuama community planned shocking murder of 16 soldiers in Delta

27,600 Benue women to receive grants, loans for business growth, self reliant

27,600 Benue women to receive grants, loans for business growth, self reliant

₦184 million per street light project and other shocking figures in 2024 budget

₦184 million per street light project and other shocking figures in 2024 budget

We'll stand with you like wall of Gibraltar - Tinubu tells Edo guber candidate

We'll stand with you like wall of Gibraltar - Tinubu tells Edo guber candidate

Pulse Sports

Super Eagles Bright Osayi-Samuel punches pitch invader as violence erupts following Trabzonspor vs Fenerbahce

Super Eagles Bright Osayi-Samuel punches pitch invader as violence erupts following Trabzonspor vs Fenerbahce

Naija Stars Abroad: Moffi, Chukwueze battle Oshoala, Echegini for POTW

Naija Stars Abroad: Moffi, Chukwueze battle Oshoala, Echegini for POTW

Report: Super Eagles get new coach for Ghana and Mali clash

Report: Super Eagles get new coach for Ghana and Mali clash

Osimhen misses out on N17b payday after Napoli's UCL loss to Barcelona

Osimhen misses out on N17b payday after Napoli's UCL loss to Barcelona

‘Thank you’ - Osimhen’s girlfriend Stefanie Ladewig grateful for being the mother of his child

‘Thank you’ - Osimhen’s girlfriend Stefanie Ladewig grateful for being the mother of his child

4 reasons why Victor Osimhen should choose Arsenal over Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG

4 reasons why Victor Osimhen should choose Arsenal over Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT