Buhari urges ambassadors-designate to project Nigeria’s potentials
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday urged Ambassadors- Designate, Consuls-general, Charge’ D’ Affaires Entitre to project the strengths of Nigeria, showcase priorities of the government and uphold standards that will bring honour to the country.
Speaking virtually from the State House at the induction/orientation exercise for the diplomats held at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) auditorium, the president told them to always be mindful of the policy direction of the government, particularly the nine priorities it had listed.
“You must not forget that you have been posted to your respective bilateral and multilateral missions to represent and project Nigeria as a great and indivisible nation and a very attractive investment destination.
“In our effort to achieve realistic development- oriented domestic and foreign policies, the government has identified nine priority areas to guide our policy directions and thrust within the time frame of 2019-2023.
“These are: build a thriving and sustainable economy; enhance social inclusion and reduce poverty; enlarge agricultural output for food security and export; attain energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products; expand transport and other infrastructural development; expand business opportunities, entrepreneurship and industrialisation; expand access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity of Nigerians,’’ he said.
The president also noted that the priorities include building a system to fight corruption, improve governance and create social cohesion and improve security for all.
“I therefore urge all of you to be guided by these identified priority goals, as well as your various station charters which highlight specific mandates and guidelines on government’s expectation. We expect you to fight hard for Nigeria and for Nigerians abroad.
“You must strive to promote trade, human capacity development, foreign direct investment and other areas of cooperation with countries at national and multilateral levels to support our national growth and development.’’
President Buhari said national and global resources have continued to shrink, a situation compounded by the COVID- 19 pandemic, adding that the government will continue to innovate and cope with a new norm in order to contain the catastrophic consequences of the pandemic. He said the world must resolutely commit itself to global concerted actions to fight and defeat the common enemy together.
According to him, “Nigeria’s diplomacy must make sufficient contributions to common global challenges on how this health pandemic can be contained and eventually defeated.