Paucity of funds has hit Nigerian Missions abroad with a number of embassies unable to meet basic responsibilities like the payment of staff salaries, as well as electricity and telephone bills.

Saturday PUNCH gathered in Abuja on Thursday that complaints from some of the missions, especially in Europe and Asia, have become more strident.

As a temporary measure, some of the diplomats have resorted to dipping their hands into their personal savings or using their credit cards to get by.

The more enterprising ones among them, especially non-career diplomats, have reached out to their state governors to advance them funds before remittances are made from Abuja.

It was further gathered that some diplomats in Ireland, Canada, Belgium, Germany, United States, Switzerland and Japan are worst hit with the high cost of living in their host countries.

Some allege that salaries have not been paid since October 2012 due to non-remittance from Abuja.

When contacted, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru said claims that remittances have not been made since October 2012 were untrue.

He said, “As you are aware, the ministry is part of government and our budget is tied to the budget of the federation.

“The 2013 budget is still being processed. As we speak, we have received assurances from the Minister of Finance that everything is being done to ensure that our missions are properly funded.

“It is not true that we have not remitted funds since October, it is absolutely not true.

“I have constantly advised our officers to ensure the prudent management of the little resources available so that when there is a little delay they can sustain basic services.”

The Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, where former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Maduekwe holds sway, was so broke in October last year that it could not meet its financial obligations for two months.

It was learnt that the situation was so critical that Maduekwe paid a visit to Abuja, where he met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru.

A source at the Nigerian High Commission, said on the condition of anonymity that it was so embarrassing that staff, including non- Nigerians working with the embassy, have begun to complain openly.

The situation in Ottawa is not different from what obtains in several other Nigerian Missions including Geneva, Switzerland.

http://www.nigeriaintel.com/2013/02/16/nigerian-embassies-cant-pay-salaries-bills/

Power

Keshi can help out

make dem merge dem na

What's wrong?3rd 2 comment.#openingteeth#

management failure, all ds is as a result of coruption, and un necesary spending by d embasy's

Corruption in this country has spoil everything. May God safe us from this kind of embrassment.

well

If they cant pay their bills they should come back home or preferably apply for deportation. Umu ewu.

but they can thief money .... Why are they tell us they shld go and tell Uncle Jona

is it that the Nigerian ruling body does not know how to run a country or is it that the consisting individuals are too myopic to see beyond stuffing public funds into their pockets?

FUCKING EMBASSY IN NY now charges us over $2 a minute on their 1900 number. What the fucking, Bleep. I wish I could fucking meet the fucking consul, I will tell him to fucking shove the fucking 1900 up his fucking ass. What the hell do they do with all the fucking money that comes from Abuja. Nasty fucking rouges

but they can squander money on keshi and the national team

Corruption et al


Ofcourse, under the Retardeen "corruption" has bn institutionalised.

I am not surprised

free2ryhme: but they can thief money .... Why are they tell us they shld go and tell Uncle Jona

u don die 2day if don't modify this post quick!

zebudaya: FUCKING EMBASSY IN NY now charges us over $2 a minute on their 1900 number. What the fucking, Bleep. I wish I could fucking meet the fucking consul, I will tell him to fucking shove the fucking 1900 up his fucking ass. What the hell do they do with all the fucking money that comes from Abuja. Nasty fucking rouges

Nairaland auto-correct

South America is not left out,Brazil in particular officers are yet to receive their salaries since last year.

The FG should act fast and redeem this embarrassing situation.

IS THIS NEWS? I MEAN THIS IS NAIJA WHERE NUTHING HAPPENS

The black man is cursed. The most disorganised race in the world.

Dey should close down and come back home,no be by force to have embassy abroad.

When the government finds it hard to pay salaries and fund departments here at home, how do you expect them to remember those leagues away? To reduce cost i think ecowas nation should consider running joint embassies.

Jonathan is presiding over a national sleaze unprecedented in history. He appears either incapable or unwilling to address Nigeria's problems. As things stand it seems the farther you are away from the treasury the less likely you will be remembered.

.

4 say una mak this country beta 4 me & u,9ja 4 be hot cake in the world.imagine where 1million peopl want come here and they pay $200 4 visa + back yard runs.ambassador and workers go dey jolly.y d embassies when them no want come here?;-(

Legit1:

Nairaland auto-correct

Ha, ha, ha. Bleeping bleep. Seun take time oh.

You people don't know anything about the running of economy! If you take note very well, Nigeria is the ONLY oil producing country that is currently experiencing this type of scenario. If you dont also mind, the foreign debt is mounting while oil income and various incomes from firs, customs, npa, nnpc etc are on the rise. We have not really completed any major projects even though in the last two years we hardly held any wednesday meeting without rolling out billions on various contracts like east-west road, collapsing lagos airport, apapa-oshodi exp, benin-ore exp, boko-haram 1Trillion mark... and others that I have lost count on. ALL THIS IS IN TANDEM WITH OUR TRANSFORMATION AGENDA. Keep enjoying our Fresh (stinking) Air!

Until there is a link to back your claim up, you're nothing but a piece of puppet.... Nigerian puppet.

J luv u: South America is not left out,Brazil in particular officers are yet to receive their salaries since last year.

And isn't Nigeria supposed to be the richest and most prosperous country in the world? at least that's the impression I got here on nairaland.

zebudaya: FU'C'KING EMBASSY IN NY now charges us over $2 a minute on their 1900 number. What the fu'c'king, fu'c'k. I wish I could fu'c'king meet the fu'c'k'ing consul, I will tell him to fu'c'king shove the fu'c'king 1900 up his fu'c'king ass. What the hell do they do with all the fu'c'king money that comes from Abuja. Nasty fu'c'king rouges

Fixed

Now I can fu'c'k off

Too lazy 2read dis days!can sum1 plz summarize in one sentence?