Gambari, Yayale, others urge FG to reduce embassies

A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ibrahin Gambari, and an ex-Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, among others, have called for a reduction in the number of Nigerian embassies.
While Gambari spoke as chairman on the occasion, Yayale also spoke as special guest at the unveiling of a book titled: “Economic Diplomacy and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy,” written by a former Board of Trustee (BoT) chairman, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr. Musa Babayo.
Yayale said while there was the need to re-introduce the national development plan, the number of embassies abroad should be critically looked at, stressing that many were in deplorable conditions.
A human rights activist, Barrister Femi Falana, a guest speaker, noted that his journey round the world had shown that many Nigerian embassies were on rented apartments.
He specifically noted that some of the countries, with populations of less than a million, deserved no foreign mission, adding that in a country, the embassy was established in 1962 and had since been on rent of an equivalent of N800, 000.
In his address, Gambari said foreign policy and diplomacy were vital tools for socio-economic development, and, therefore, the definition of national interest must, of necessity, be the promotion of the welfare of the citizens.
“This book, Economic Diplomacy and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy is very apt and the ideas canvasses are most appropriate, especially at this critical stage in our country’s history”, he said.
He added that there was, therefore, the need to have an authoritative focal point to coordinate the broad range of external relations in order to maximise the opportunity for promoting the socio-economic development of the country.
Author of the book, Babayo, said the time was ripe for the federal government to have re-think of her foreign policy and advised President Muhammadu Buhari to focus attention on multi-national corporations in the country with a view to repatriating the country’s funds.