In as much as I remain loyal to you as one of the most honest and committed leaders in Nigeria and my loyalty to you as our elected President and Commander in Chief, I must openly bring to your attention that our Foreign Service Management and System is gradually and systematically collapsing and something urgent needs to be done to urgently reverse the ugly trend.
Mr. President, if you don’t know the damage tenure of the last Permanent Secretary of the Ministry (Mustapha) has done is unimaginable. Again the ROT is sustained.
There are many issues which I will subsequently bring to your attention here. However, currently the issue that will soon bring down the entire Foreign Service to its knees and completely destroy our image more abroad is the issue of posting of Ambassadors.
More than a year ago, Career Ambassadors were screened, but were not posted. Similarly, the Political Ambassadors were also screened for more than three months ago, but no posting. Most of our Embassies abroad were left in the hands of Gate Keepers who are only there to oversee the missions. A charge for Affairs has a limit he or she can exercise authority hence many issues are lying down in the Embassies without attention because some of them need a substantive Ambassador to be deal with.
Sir, when you issue a letter of Credence to an Ambassador, it is your authority as President of Nigeria that you are ceding temporarily to the Ambassador to go and exercise that authority in his host country or territory. But why is it that the posting of Ambassadors is highly politicised on Nigeria?
Sir, information available revealed that the National Intelligence Agency, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have all finished their job, postings recommended for your approval, but politics and God fatherism has taken over, being the reason why the Ambassadors are still around in Nigeria.
There are strong allegations that some people close to you have changed the postings many times and some Ambassadors designate paid as much as 100,000 Dollars for their posting to be changed or get a lucrative posting. Also, it was alleged that the list was taken to London three times and a woman in the Villa has stopped the posting from going to you for approval. Why do we allow pettiness, ego, personal ambition between someone in London and a woman in Abuja destroy your administration? Why? What is the Chief of Staff doing?
MR. President, what is going on? We are here during the Covid 19 Lockdown about 7 Ambassadors from other countries submitted their letters of Credence to you. What then is the excuse that after one year our Embassies have no Ambassadors?
One of the greatest disservice done to our Foreign Service was the extension of the tenure of some Ambassadors last year and even the last Permanent Secretary (Mustapha) who was so incompetent and had caused so much havoc in the Ministry. Sir, I know what I am talking about. Why are we reducing the postings of Ambassadors like the posting of NYSC?
The present Minister of Foreign Affairs is seen to be late Abba Kyari bossom friend. So some people who were disagreeing with Abba Kyari when he was alive are now transferring that quarrel to Onyeama and is affecting Governance.
It is therefore my humble submission Mr. President that you:
1. Immediately, order all Ambassadors to leave for their respective posts immediately.
2. Order for a total overhaul of the Foreign Service structure to restore subordination, discipline, loyalty and professionalism.
3. Give an unrestricted and direct access to your Minister of Foreign Affairs. As it is now, I understand he is finding it difficult.
Thank you. Mr. President. This is written without prejudice.
Gara Gombe writes from Abuja.
