Reps Committee Summons Minister Over Utilisation Of Foreign Missions’ Funds

The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs has invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, and Heads of Missions for a fact-finding exercise over the utilisation of appropriated funds by the foreign missions in 2025.

The committee, in a letter dated July 24, 2025, and signed by its chairman, Oluwole Oke, in line with Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended), demanded detailed records of utilisations of the funds by the various agencies.

The Oke-led Committee had commenced an investigation into allegations of a contract scandal involving the alleged mismanagement of $2m for the renovation of Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

The letter inviting Tuggar and Heads of Missions read in part, “The Missions are required to furnish the following documents: approved budget of the missions from 2024-2025; budget performance of the missions for the above years; record of special interventions released to the missions and their applications between 2018-2025 and staff nominal roll for both home and local staff.

“The Honourable Minister is kindly requested to bring the content of this letter to all Heads of Missions.”

Another letter, dated July 3, 2025, signed by the Director of Funds on behalf of the Accountant General of the Federation, revealed that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration released a total of $54 million to cater to the needs of the nation’s 103 Embassies and High Commissions.

While overhead cost got an allocation of $46.14m, personal cost accounted for $9.58m, with overhead allocated $282,829.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Oke commended President Tinubu for the intervention, even as he charged Tuggar and Heads of the various missions to provide the Committee with detailed records of the disbursement of the funds.

“We commend the President for intervening, and we are thankful for his commitment to revive the missions. His intervention in 2025 will go a long way in projecting a great image for our country.

“We urge the missions to come forth and inform Nigerians through their representatives in parliament how the intervention funds have been utilised. This will ensure transparency and accountability, which are two basic requirements for good governance,” Oke said.

According to him, the committee was not on a witch-hunt mission but “is merely responding to the need to make governance count for Nigeria and Nigerians.”