President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, inducted the newly appointed ambassadors charging them to fight hard, and protect Nigerians living abroad.
The President, who joined the event virtually, urged the newly appointed ambassadors to go out and represent the nation with utmost dedication and pride.
He said the Federal Government has identified nine priority areas to guide its foreign policy- cutting across health, corruption, transportation, security, education among others, urging the ambassadors to be guided also by these.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, on his part commended the President’s effort at fostering peace and a good bilateral relationship with the international community, which according to him cuts across security and trade.
He said the relationship has also seen Nigeria receiving money looted from the country.
Mr. Onyema added that Nigeria is on good terms with every country in the world, with no exception.
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He said President Buhari has leveraged on the goodwill of his foreign policy to secure the re-election of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala among other Nigerians holding key positions in international organisations.
The newly appointed ambassadors are 94, eight Consul Generals, and five Charge D’ Affairs.
43 of them are career ambassadors while 53 others are political ambassadors.
Presidential Approval
The appointment follows the approval of the envoys by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement by its Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda.
While Aduda did not state when the President gave the approval, he noted that those to be posted included 43 career ambassadors and 52 non-career ambassadors.
He said following the development, the government has already commenced the process of requesting Agrément from the prospective host countries.
The permanent secretary revealed that the ministry would organise an induction course for the ambassadors-designate and their spouses.
He explained that the event which would hold on a date to be announced soon was to prepare and facilitate the movement of the ambassadors-designate to their respective missions.
