Reps to probe foreign missions over ‘poor consular services’

The house of representatives has resolved to investigate alleged poor consular services at the country’s foreign missions.

The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during plenary on Thursday, following the adoption of a motion. 

The motion was sponsored by Alexander Ikwechegh, member representing Aba north and south federal constituency, and 33 other lawmakers.

Leading the debate on the motion, Ikwechegh said Nigerians abroad are facing difficulties securing visas, noting that management issues are impeding the effective operations of foreign missions. 

He added that some assets of the foreign missions are in deplorable states.

“Many Nigerians are illegally held or imprisoned in foreign countries and often under harsh conditions that may lead to loss of lives if urgent actions are not taken,” Ikwechegh said.

“Many Nigerian students are stranded in foreign lands over issues that can be resolved, and many Nigerians who own businesses around the world — helping in contributing to the economy of those countries and sending remittances back home — are suffering harassment and sabotage.

“Many Nigerians go through extreme difficulties to secure visas for legitimate travels, including government officials and legislators, after paying exorbitant visa fees.

“Many embassies in a bid to ease visa application processes have resorted to outsourcing the processes to agents whose cost of services are borne by Nigerians.

“Several modes of visa applications are in force, including express services, with huge cost paid by applicants who are sometimes denied visas after such payments.”

The lawmaker said the situation has persisted even though the ministry of foreign affairs receives budgetary allocations and intervention funds to run the missions.

He said the foreign missions get internally generated revenue (IGR), raising questions over the effective and efficient utilisation of the funds.

He said the committee had “received several complaints regarding issues of employment in the ministry and missions, appointments, postings, redeployment and disciplinary issues that affect morals and service delivery”.

“The country has properties and assets across the world under various missions, many under-utilised and several others abandoned, which if properly audited and harnessed will enhance the efficiency of our foreign service officers and increase the revenue that is generated by the federal government,” he said.

“At a lot of missions, local staff ceiling has been exceeded due to violation of rules and in some instances, the ceiling of foreign service officers. This has further resulted in indebtedness in the respective missions.”

The lawmaker said if the issues are not investigated, and appropriate and urgent actions taken by the house, it may “lead to loss of lives and properties, further difficulties in visa and consular services home and abroad, malfeasance and waste, inefficiency and loss of revenue, and poor implementation of government reforms”.

Ikwechegh said the probe will help the government achieve its foreign policy thrust of democracy, development, demography and diaspora (4Ds).

The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house.

Consequently, the house mandated the committee on foreign affairs to “carry out a holistic investigation” and report back within three weeks.