How Nigerian foreign missions frustrate investors, tourists





L-R: Hillary Clinton, Olugbega Ashiru and President Goodluck Jonathan



Nigerian Embassies abroad are not driving the Federal Government’s economic development policies as PAUL ARHEWE reports that the Missions are still operating archaic information system that makes them inaccessible and traumatise Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Nigeria’s quest to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and boost tourism revenue will remain mere sloganeering until Nigerian Embassies abroad upgrade their information system and make their Missions accessible.

National Mirror investigations have exposed the rot in Nigerian Missions abroad, especially the trauma Nigerians in the Diaspora and others willing to do businesses in the country face while trying to access the embassies.
The President Goodluck Jonathan administration has adopted economic diplomacy as part of its foreign policy thrust. To this end, the country’s embassies are seen as gateways for attracting investors and tourists to Nigeria.
But stakeholders have expressed concern that the objectives of the economic development diplomacy would not be realised because of the archaic information systems Nigerian missions abroad still operate, which make them not able to meet the yearnings and aspiration of Nigerians resident in such countries and also frustrate genuine investors and tourists from coming to Nigeria.

Expectations from Obama’s second term

By Paul Arhewe

Obama

There was global jubilation when United States President Barack Obama emerged victorious on Wednesday and was re-elected for a second term. However, there are high expectations as the American leader takes control of the world’s leading economy for another four year.

The unemployment rate in US is still very high with 7.9 percent, which nearly marred his chances of retaining the seat in White House. His second term administration is expected to provide millions of decent paying jobs for Americans.

Also, China that is jubilant at the defeat of Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, may have enjoyed a less or non-confrontational foreign policy from Obama’s regime, resulting in the Asian country’s rising global profile.

Obama’s second term will need to formulate policy that will address Chinese ‘cut-corners’ trades, in order to win over the large supporters of Romney’s intended confrontational policy on China’s trade.

For Africa, Obama , who only visited the continent just once; seven months after his inauguration in January 2009, flew to Ghana and delivered a ‘non-commitment’ policy; urging Africans to fend for themselves. He said Africa didn’t need interference and that the continent’s future should be built by Africans.