Foreign Affairs ministry, foreign missions underfunded, says NASS

The National Assembly has lamented the underfunding of the nation’s Foreign Affairs ministry and some of its agencies, most especially Nigerian foreign missions abroad.

The legislature consequently warned that the ugly development which has been hampering effective functioning of Nigeria’s diplomatic institutions should stop forthrightly.

The joint Committees on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly expressed the displeasure on Friday during budget defence session of the ministry.

Chairman of the joint Committee, Senator Muhammad Bulkachuwa (APC Bauchi North), said foreign affairs as a ministry is very critical to the image of the country abroad, requiring adequate funding.

“The situation where our diplomats have issues like non-payment of Foreign Service Officers’ allowances, absence of insurance to cover them and their families, non-payment of rent for the affected officers, challenges of non-profit functional Missions owing to inability of the Missions to pay for utility services or maintenance of the buildings, both Residence and Chancery and of course, the staff Quarters cannot continue.

“This sad story has been on-going for a very long time. We on this side of the divide have traveled far and near, in our private and official capacities

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“We therefore have in our memory the sorry conditions of our Foreign Service Officers, their families and indeed the policy itself which has been badly battered over the years.

“On our part, the Committee will carry out its oversight functions diligently over the Ministry, visiting Missions, reviewing and noting their challenges for better funding, to carry out their mandates “, he said.

The committee berated the drop in the budgetary proposal for the Ministry in 2020 when compared to its 2019 Appropriation.

While in 2019, the sum of N73.623 billion was appropriated for the Ministry, the sum of N73.156 billion is proposed for it in the 2020 fiscal year, indicating shortfall of N467.134 million.

“The 2020 Appropriation bill gave no capital provision for over seventy (70) Missions, despite the enormous challenges faced by almost all the missions.

“This joint committee on foreign affairs will explore the possibility of ensuring required improvement on the provision of the allocation to the Ministry, Agencies and Missions,” he stressed.

Earlier, top officials of the Ministry led by the Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, in their submissions before the joint Committee lamented over paucity of fund to run most of the foreign missions.