***Explains why it can’t appoint ambassadors
The federal government has declared that it cannot appoint ambassadors to foreign missions because there is no money to fund the missions
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tukur, said the reasons for non appointment of ambassador by the president Bola Tinubu led administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) one year after it’s inauguration is largely due the non availability of fund for such project
The minister of Foreign Affairs wo.made the disclosure at the ministerial briefing to mark the first anniversary of the President Tinubu administration, said that the government inherited a tough financial situation, which made it difficult of many missions to receive adequate funding for their smooth operation.
“There is no need to send an ambassador to a foreign mission when there is no money to run such places,” the minister explained but said however that efforts were being made to send people to those missions.
He however folded out the achievements so far recorded by his ministry in the last one year in office, which he listed the facilitation of multi-million dollar investments into the country within the last one year as one of the biggest achievements of the Tinubu administration, saying that the foreign affairs ministry had played a big role in the process.
According to the minister, some of the foreign projects to include: €250 million investment from the Netherlands to boost existing business in Nigeria and another $14 billion worth of investment commitments from Indian investors across ICT, power, steel/manufacturing, agriculture, defence, telecom, space communications, digital solutions, insurance, processed foods, real estate, and hospitality.
Others, according to the minister include, financing agreement of £100 million on the Digital and Creative Enterprises Program and the signing of MOUs worth $600m between Nigeria and France, which h he explained would promote entrepreneurship and innovation in digital technology and creative industries,
Also achieved by the ministry is the $2bn investment with Germany on the Nigeria-Siemens Power Project, $500m MOU to export LNG to Germany between Nigeria Riverside LNG and Germany’s Johannes Schuetze Energy Import AG.
He noted that under the accord, Nigeria is to supply 850,000 tons of natural gas to Germany annually which is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2026.
