Geoffrey Onyeama,who has just been reappointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, has assured that his main agenda would be ‘citizen diplomacy’ aimed at protecting the interests of Nigerian citizens where ever they reside especially outside the shores of the country.
The Minister gave this assurance on Wednesday while meeting with the management of the ministry shortly after he was sworn in to serve in the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari.
This assurance is perhaps predicated on the unpleasant news in parts of the world where Nigerian citizens are constantly molested and killed and their property looted and the need to give them protection.
Onyeama stressed that he will raise the bar on the primary objective of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Next Level Agenda on the Foreign scene.
Onyeama also stated that the administration’s focus on security, anti-corruption and the economy will no doubt take more prominent place in the new dispensation.
He also said that citizens diplomacy will take the centre stage in which a number will be made available for Nigerians to call wherever they are across the world for immediate response on any issues of any kind.
He averred that the initiative will provide an oversight over all the Nigerian government agencies around the world to ensure that the nation is providing the best service possible.
He said further that a help desk would be provided for every Nigerian around the world, promising that if Nigerians have any complaint it would be addressed at the highest possible level.
The Minister noted that the security of Nigerians around the world will also be taken seriously in an aggressive and robust manner in engaging with countries to ensure that human rights and security of Nigerians Nigerians anywhere in the world is respected.
“Essentially, the priorities of Mr President is what we have to focus on and build from there. So, obviously, security, anti-corruption and the economy,” Onyeama said.
He also assured that Nigeria will continue to play important role on the Continental and regional level adding that the country will avail itself the opportunity of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA() to define the success of the AfCFTA.
“So, we are going to cooperate and coordinate with the Ministry of Trade and others to ensure that we get maximum benefit for African integration,” he said.
On anti-corruption, Onyeama assured that the government will continue to engage with countries of the world to ensure the repatriation of looted funds.
On the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, Onyeama said the country will leverage the opportunity provided by the bi-national commission between both countries at the presidential level, adding that the government was looking at a special relationship between South Africa and Nigeria to address the menace.
He said the effort could be a game-changer for Africa in the same way that the German-Franco alliance after the Second World War had been the engine of the European Union.
“So, we will want to see a situation where that will be the case, South Africa and Nigeria driving Africa economically, socially for the next 50 or so years. And in that framework, we need to address this issue of the security of Nigerians in South Africa at the very highest level.
“So, when the two presidents are engaged on this, I think that all those below that have to do something, will be forced to do something, and in particular, the South African police.
“As I mentioned, there is a trust deficit between Nigerians living in South Africa and the South African Police. And I think it is important that we get the two working together to address this issue.
“So, it is something we are going to be taking up obviously at the ministerial level, but most importantly at the level of the president,” Onyeama assured.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
