The Federal Government yesterday inaugurated the Presidential Committee on the Review of Number and Strategy for Resourcing Nigeria’s Worldwide, with the aim of saving the country’s integrity.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, who inaugurated the 13-man committee in Abuja, said President Muhammadu Buhari approved its constitution, considering the need to set things straight at the various diplomatic missions across the world, most of which have run on financial and assets deficits for many years.
According to him, the committee will be charged with the mandate of reviewing all previous reports on the establishment of foreign missions and take measures to effectively and economically manage Nigeria’s Mission, and to also identify the challenges facing those missions and make appropriate recommendations on their sustainability.
He said: “As we are all aware, our diplomatic missions around the world are currently faced with multifaceted challenges following, among others, the scale of perennial indebtedness they find themselves. This poses attendant damage to our nation’s integrity. Consequent upon these, Mr. President approved the constitution of this Presidential Committee.”
The SGF noted that some of the cost-saving measures taken by the previous administrations in reviewing the foreign missions had not yielded the desired results, hence the constitution of the committee.
The committee, which was given a three-month timeline, has the following as part of its terms of reference: “To determine the current number, categories of Nigeria’s Diplomatic Missions; subject matter desks worldwide and categorize their strategic importance and impact worldwide and make appropriate recommendations;
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“Identify and categorize the revenue generation capacity of missions, performance in this regard, causes and level of indebtedness.
“It also include reviewing the understanding and application of critical extant policies, guidelines, circulars, codes, regulations, financial management systems, statutes, etc, across Nigeria’s Missions with a view to minimising bottlenecks, misapplication and infractions,” he said.
Chairman of the committee, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibi (retired Federal Permanent Secretary), assured the SGF of the preparedness of the committee to not only succeed at the task before them but to also exceed all expectations.
Membership of the committee include Ambassador Martin Uhomoibi (retired Permanent Secretary) Chairman; Alhaji Sabiu Zakari (retired Permanent Secretary) Vice Chairman; Shehu Ibrahim, (Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office) member.
Others are: Beatrice Edodamen Jedy-Agba, (Permanent Secretary and Solicitor General of the Federation) Federal Ministry of Justice Member; Ambassador Bulus Lolo (Retired Permanent Secretary) Member; Alhaji Saheed K. Y. Adelakun (Retired Permanent Secretary) Member; Ambassador Janet Olisa (Director (PRS) Member.
Also, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning; the Auditor-General for the Federation; the Accountant General of the Federation; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; the Foreign Service Advisory Council; the Federal Civil Service Commission; National Intelligence Agency will also serve as members, while Iliyasu Agaka (Director (AFHS/SP) will serve as Secretary.