Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has advised the 36 state governments against entering foreign or international negotiations without the input of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Federal Government.
Tuggar’s statement comes amid efforts to resolve a dispute with a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment, which has led to the seizure of three Federal Government jets by a French court.
The Minister emphasised the importance of registering international arrangements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy, and Federal Government to avoid similar issues in the future.
He noted that the Ogun State Government’s agreement with the Chinese company, made without the Federal Government’s knowledge, has resulted in the seizure of Nigerian assets.
Tuggar stressed that foreign negotiations require experienced individuals with necessary skills and training, and sub-national actors should not engage in such agreements alone.
“This is part of the problem when sub-national actors like state governments take it upon themselves to go into agreements, go into international arrangements, without recourse to the ministry of foreign affairs, without recourse to the federal government, and then when it goes awry, we are left with the problem to deal with.
“That is why it is always important that such arrangements should be registered with the mission there, with the embassy, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and with the federal government.
“This is something that Ogun state, under a different administration, not this governor, entered into that we’re not aware of. All we know is that they’re going after Nigerian assets.
“That’s why, really, foreign or international negotiations are not the purview of sub-national actors.
“You should always have those that are experienced in such an area that have the necessary skills and the necessary training to negotiate these sorts of agreements.”
