.
BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
.
A group known as Mandate for National Values and Integrity in Nigeria (MNVIN), has called for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusufu Tuggar over alleged incompetence.
.
The pressure group said that the unplanned, hasty and clumsy recall of Nigeria Ambassadors and High Commissioners in various Foreign Missions was a mark of incompetence, pointing out that it was a national embarrassment.
.
In a statement signed by Malam Abdul Aliyu and Melford Nwokike, National Coordinator and National Secretary of the group, respectively, the group accused the Foreign Affairs Minister of mismanaging simple diplomatic procedure and pushing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through a messy process.
.
The group expressed shock and disappointment at the ongoing row and stalemate between the Minister and the recalled Envoys who are currently stranded in their various Missions due to the inability of the Ministry to give them the required notice (three months) and also pay them their passage allowance.
.
In the statement made available to journalists in Lafia on Wednesday, the group described as “disturbing” the claim and counter claim going on in the media between the Minister and the diplomats, who are still trapped at their duty posts in foreign land.
.
The group wondered what was the difficulty in the Ministry granting the Envoys their request for extension of terminal date to December 31st as against October 31st hurriedly announced by the Minister, even when funds were not available to pay their passages
.
They noted that the extension aside from providing the opportunity for the ambassadors’ wards to take their promotion exams and consequently streamline the academic calendar in order not to truncate their education by dropping a year; would have tallied with the three-month notice as required by the regulation.
.
“We, therefore, join other well meaning Nigerians to query the true intension of the Minister and why he appeared to be in a hurry to dispense with the Envoys even when it will take not less than four to six months to replace them.
.
“MNVIN is also worried that the Minister in an earlier statement stated that the Presidency was not convinced on the excuse given to extend the stay of the Ambassadors. We now ask; is Mr. Tuggar saying that the education of our children and financial crunch in the Missions not enough reasons for such extension?
.
“We are worried that Tuggar, who until recently is an Ambassador to Germany, could not deploy his weight of experience in the management of the Foreign Affairs Ministry positively.
.
“Our investigation shows that the Foreign Service Regulation provides three months notice to diplomats to wind up at post when recalled but in the contrary two months was given to the Ambassadors,” the statement noted.
.
The Envoys expressed shock at the news which filtered into the public domain at the weekend that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has commenced moves to forcefully eject the Envoys from their residences and offices in the foreign missions and also prevent them from the use of official vehicles.
.
“We call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusufu Tuggar to immediately resign his appointment for incompetence.
.
“We call on His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and sack the Minister if he fails to resign in order to stop this macabre dance.
.
“We saw on the media, a memo directing junior officers at the Foreign Missions to lock out the diplomats from their residences and offices as well as stop them from the use of their official vehicles.
.
“This is to say the list, very appalling and reprehensible and indeed capable of ridiculing the country in the comity of nations.
.
“Our investigation shows that the Minister is in violation of Regulations 9.5(a) of Foreign Service Rules requiring that an officer shall cease to draw foreign service allowances the day he leaves the post especially when his failure to leave on the stipulated period is as a result of the failure of the Ministry to send the officer’s passages.
.
“We also have it on good authority that Regulation 26.3, stipulates that three months notice should be given to an officer before they are posted abroad or back home to enable the officer to wind up their affairs; and that Regulation 26.4 stipulates that such recall shall be such a time as to coincide with the school year to enable the officer arrange the school programme of their children.”
.
The group stressed that on the contrary, information available to them indicates that despite the failure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to remit the passages to the Envoys as required by Foreign Service Regulations, the Minister has begun moves to forcefully eject them from their offices and residences.
.
“We have in our custody a memo from the Ministry directing Heads of Chancery and Finance Attaches to seize the offices and residences of the Envoys and refer to Headquarters for approval further expenses above certain amount.
“We have it on good authority that the diplomatic imbroglio is already taking a toll on Nigeria’s business and diplomatic affairs and thereby stalling the realization of the 4Ds (Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora) foreign policy strategy under the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
“For instance, the Romanian President since September communicated his intention to visit Nigeria in November but the Minister frustrated it according to sources. Consequently, Cyber Security and defence, scholarships to Nigeria students, technology transfer etc are suffering as a result.
“Also his visit was to discuss issues of great importance and will add value to the realisation of the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr. President,” the group alleges.
Comment here