THE Nigerian government said on Wednesday that it was considering closing down its diplomatic missions in seven countries either because they are unnecessary or because of problems funding them. The plan follows a recommendation of a committee set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo that some of the missions considered either unnecessary or too expensive to keep should be shut down, solid minerals minister Godwin Kanu Agabi said. The committee was headed by former Commonwealth secretary general Emeka Anyaoku. The seven missions that are being considered for closure are in Kuwait, Lebanon, Congo, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines and North Korea, the minister told journalists after a cabinet meeting. “Part of this recommendation has been accepted by the government but I cannot say which of them have been approved for closure,” Agabi said. “The government acknowledged that some of our foreign missions have a problem of funding and it is for this reason that a special fund of about eight billion naira ($71,6-million) was recently released to the foreign ministry,” he added. Nigeria has around 100 missions abroad. – AFP
Wednesday October 10, 2001