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Nigeria’s foreign policy, which has
anchored on African relations for 50 years, should be reviewed and
replaced with a more citizen-friendly framework, the House of
Representatives told new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia,
on Monday.

Umar Bature, the House Foreign Affairs
committee chairman, said half a century after independence, the nation
should reconsider the thrust of its policy which has in revolved about
African issues, with very little consideration provided for Nigerians,
mostly those abroad.

“Aware of the challenges, we should
refocus and sit as a country and ask ourselves what policy we have had
after 50 years. What has it benefitted us?” he said at the committee’s
first meeting with the Minister yesterday.

The call comes weeks after the Acting
President, Goodluck Jonathan, announced during his visit to the United
States that his administration is considering establishing a Diaspora
Commission to coordinate government responses to needs of Nigerians
abroad.

The commission already considered by
the lawmakers under a separate Diaspora committee headed by Abike
Dabiri-Erewa, has advanced through the public hearing stage. Ms.
Dabiri-Erewa, also on Monday at a separate meeting with the Minister,
said Mr. Jonathan’s declaration was “heart-warming, although
unexpected.” The committee chairman, Mr. Bature, and other members of
the committee, blamed the failure in the nation’s foreign policy over
the years on those implementing them. “We think there is a disconnect
between the policy and its implementation,” Mr. Bature said.

Mr. Ajumogobia, and the Minister of
state in the ministry, Aliyu Hong, met separately with the two
committees yesterday on a courtesy visit, weeks after they assumed
leadership of the ministry formerly headed by Ojo Madueke.

The committee members praised the team
for the visit, which they said distinguished the new Ministers from the
immediate past and assured them of support.

Running battle

The lawmakers said they had a season of
disagreement with Mr. Madueke whom according to them, rebuffed many
inquiries from the legislator into his stewardship.

“We have always thought of this
ministry as the most important because it carries the image of Nigeria
abroad,” said Davis Sekonte, a member from Rivers state.

“But for the past three years, this
important ministry has been run without adhering to its policy or
regarding the contribution of the legislature.” Mr. Madueke, the
committee disclosed, consistently refused to cooperate with the
committee in its investigation into the controversial sales of
Nigeria’s properties in Washington and the embassy’s tax failings in
New York, United States.

The Bi-National Commission, recently
adopted by Nigeria and the United States, was signed without the
approval of the National Assembly as required by the constitution,
although the US Congress was part of the deal, lawmakers further said.

“When we took it up with the former Minister, he expressed surprise and tried to defend it,” Mr. Davis explained.

Mr. Ajumogobia admitted the suggestions
for a policy review and spoke of his ministry’s plan to prioritize the
areas of focus, as Mr. Jonathan’s administration pulls through the
remaining less than one year left for it.

He pleaded for better funding for the
ministry to enable it first complete its headquarters building which
has received no allocation in the 2010 budget.

“The National Assembly graciously approved N3.6 billion for the
project last year, but finally it was not to be. The fund was returned
at the end of the year and has no allocation for this year. If nothing
else would be added, let that be re-allocated to the ministry,” he
appealed.