“Governor Aregbesola is highly rated” - Diplomat Head of Mission and Charge d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire, Mr. Jack Akiniyenle Bassey has described the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as a highly rated political and administrative leader in Nigeria.The commendation was made in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire last Friday when Governor Aregbesola paid a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Embassy where he was received by the Nigerian diplomatic team in the French-speaking West African country.The career diplomat who played host to Aregbesola at the Nigerian House noted that the Osun Governor has re-defined governance with his people-oriented programmes.According to Bassey who remarked that he was meeting Governor Aregbesola for the first time, made references to media reports he had read about the activities of his administration and submitted that the Osun Governor is highly rated among all political leaders.Lauding the giant strides of Aregbesola, the diplomat advised other political leaders to draw inspiration from Governor Aregbesola to launch their people to an era of balanced development.He stated further that as a civil servant and diplomat, his duty was to serve all governments no matter the political party adding that he was glad to receive Governor Aregbesola and other high profile members of his team comprising of Senator Mudashir Hussein, Speaker of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, legislators and other dignitaries during the period of his stewardship as the Charge de Affairs in the Embassy where he is holding the forte pending the appointment of a substantive Ambassador.He noted further that the Osun Governor had been striving to bring his engineering profession to bear on his administration by striving to use his training as an engineer to re-define governance for the benefit of the people he is governing.Explaining the efforts of his team to reach out to Nigerians resident in Cote D’Ivoire, Bassey explained that he had been encouraging them Nigerians in the country to see the embassy as their own by participating in all activities of the Nigerian community.He however, explained the challenges faced by the mission including the need to arrange the consular passage of stranded Nigerians in the country at a great cost which he noted was not provided for in the budget.Responding, Governor Aregbesola promised to start a campaign at all levels of governance to get direct budgetary provision for consular operations in Nigerian missions abroad.Aregbesola stated that the basis of existence of any government was to cater for the security and welfare of citizens.According to him, any government that fails to meet this basic requirement set by the 1999 Constitution had no reason to exist or stay in power.He explained further that the United States of America (USA) is a country that does not joke with its citizens’ welfare through adequate consular care all over the world.Governor Aregbesola stressed whatever crime an American citizen may commit in any country of the world, the US government ensures that no American citizen is prosecuted outside the United States.“If an American citizen commits murder and particularly war crimes in any part of the world, America will not allow the prosecution of that citizen in any country outside America”. That is the height of consular activity, the Governor stated.Making reference to the 1999 Constitution, Aregbesola said “it is the duty of the Nigerian Embassy to make adequate provisions for the security and welfare of all citizens. No government has any reason for being there if it does not make adequate provisions to guarantee the security and welfare of citizens. That is the primary responsibility of any government. That is how the Constitution prescribes it”.He then promised to take up the task of campaigning for the provision of budgetary allocation for consular activities for all Nigerian diplomatic missions across the world so as to enable Nigerian citizens enjoy the benefits of their missions.
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 20:50:16 +0000
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