Lagos — Following Vanguard's exclusive report, the Federal Government has extended the stay of envoys and ambassadors by three months, impeccable sources told Vanguard, yesterday.
On September 2, President Bola Tinubu recalled all Nigeria's ambassadors, both career and non-career.
They were asked to return to the country on or before October 31. Nigeria has no fewer than 300 foreign missions.
The recall was communicated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar.
On October 10, five weeks after President Tinubu recalled the ambassadors and 21 days to the October 31 deadline for their return, Vanguard exclusively reported that the envoys were stranded as the Federal Government was foot-dragging on implementation and had not released AIEs (Authority to Incur Expenditures) for their passages to them.
The AIE explains the details of the entitlement of each envoy in terms of their passages and other travel arrangements to return to Nigeria.
However, reliable sources and some envoys told Vanguard yesterday, that the AIEs had been released but noted that there was no cash-backing, hence the extension of their stay till January 2024.
Extension inadequate
Meanwhile, some ambassadors feared that the three-month extension might not be adequate to complete the process of recalling and replacing ambassadors, which they said takes about six to eight months.
They warned that poor handling of the policy could cause Nigeria avoidable international ridicule and embarrassment.
Officially, the foreign affairs ministry kept sealed lips on the issue, yesterday, in spite of persistent enquiries by Vanguard.
Cash crunch, no allocationto missions since June
However, an ambassador said: "Following the Vanguard report, the AIEs for the passages have been sent out but the cash backing has not been processed due to the current cash crunch facing the country. Most missions are in a serious financial mess.
"The last overhead meant for the last semester of the year, July to December, has not been sent out. Traditionally, it is received by the end of June every year. With the current exchange rate and naira depreciation, there is a serious shortfall in allocation to missions."
The ambassador said due to the initial challenges of every new government in settling down, the President Tinubu Administration has not had sufficient time to carry out necessary consultations for the appointment of replacements for the outgoing ambassadors.
Consequences
His words: "The consequence is that if the envoys take their leave, by November 1, all the Nigerian missions will be without heads for a long time because it takes quite some time to nominate, vet, screen, confirm and receive bilateral agreement from host countries before envoys assume duties at their respective posts.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written an advisory to Mr. President, pointing out the consequences and seeking a three-month extension to enable some housekeeping to be done for the recalled envoys."
Averting international embarrassment
An insider in the ministry, said the extension will "save Nigeria from an impending national and international embarrassment," adding that it would be doubtful if the three-month extension would be adequate because the agreement takes more than six months.
Agreement is the agreement by a state to receive members of a diplomatic mission from a foreign country. In this procedure, the sending state formally requests consent via a demande d'agreation, from the receiving state before appointing a diplomat (usually an ambassador) to the receiving state.
Concurring, an ambassador feared that the missions may be without ambassadorial leadership for eight months with dire consequences for Nigeria.
Implications of not replacing envoys
Without an ambassador, the embassies will be headed by Charge d'Affaires, CDA, a level 12 officer, who cannot see any officer higher than a director in any diplomatic gathering.
The implication is that if President Tinubu wants to go to another country, it will be difficult to make an appointment.
An ambassador can go to the prime minister and arrange meetings and other engagements for the president. CDAs can't arrange such meetings. It means Nigeria has downgraded her representation and it will affect our foreign policy.
Way out
Lamenting that the Federal Government has not released allocations to the missions since June, he said the way out is for the government to follow due process.
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"As every country does, the way out is to put forward your nominees, security agencies will screen them, and they go to the Senate for confirmation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will send letters of agreement to the countries they are being posted and ask, 'do you agree?'
"The other countries will start their own investigations. Sometimes agreement takes between six to eight months. The least is two months for African countries because they will ask their security agencies to carry out thorough screening as ambassadors enjoy immunity.
"Sometimes, they will screen your children. The other countries allow their serving ambassadors to serve while doing the Agreement so that if the outgoing ambassador leaves this week, another ambassador will come in next week because the appointing country does not have control over the agreement."
Indeed, a former diplomat said Nigeria cannot afford to have destabilisation in the foreign affairs sector, given the economic issues trailing the removal of fuel subsidies and multiple exchange rates in Nigeria.
He counselled that the government should give the serving ambassadors a minimum of six months extension, which also gives the government ample room to appoint quality men and women as replacements.
