Nigerian embassy in Qatar soon, said VP Sambo

(From left) Senator Ikechi Nwogu, Senate committee chairperson on gas,  Raymond Bob-Ume, NIDO-Qatar VP, Nigerian Vice President Namadi Sambo and  Bashir Yuguda, minister of state for works

Nigeria’s Vice-President Namadi Mohamed Sambo, who was in Qatar for the just-concluded Gas Summit for the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), has promised Nigerian residents that the government will look into establishing an embassy in Qatar within the next year. He was speaking to Nigerian professionals working in Qatar during a reception held in his honour at the Doha Sheraton by the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation-Qatar chapter (NIDO-Qatar).

 

Speaking at the occasion, Sambo said “The government of Nigeria will look into all the issues you have highlighted and we are going to ensure you have an embassy in Qatar soon.”

“The Nigeria government would also look into ways to boost its relations with Qatar,” he added.

The vice-president also thanked the Nigerian community for a warm reception given to him.

Cross section of Nigerian professionals resident in Qatar

In addition, present at the occasion were former Nigeria Ambassador to the UAE and Qatar, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, Chairman Senate committee on gas Senator Ikechi Nwogu, members of the vice president’s entourage and representatives of the Nigerian press.

Earlier in his welcome address, Vice President of NIDO-Qatar Raymond Bob- Ume thanked the vice-president for giving members of the community an opportunity to meet him. He also highlighted the needs of the community, especially establishment of Nigerian embassy in Qatar.

He said that absence of an embassy in Doha has been creating difficulties for the members of the community in getting consular services. “As much as we appreciate the effort and the support being rendered by the Nigerian embassy in the UAE, which is concurrently serving Qatar, the entire NIDO-Qatar desires an embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Qatar,” he said. “An embassy in Qatar will bring sound synergy between Nigeria and Qatar as both are members of OPEC and as well as Gas Producing nations.

It will also create opportunities for investment and trade potential with Qatar, being presently a nation with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world and has investment in up to one hundred nations in Asia, Europe and Africa,” Bob- Ume added. Jide Adedeji, a Nigerian Quantity Surveyor, said Nigerian government should look into Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Qatar Airways, as Nigerians in Qatar could no longer buy tickets online.

Speaking at the meeting, former UAE-Qatar ambassador designate, who is presently the Nigerian minister of state for works, Bashir Yuguda urged the community to continue to be good citizens and be law-abiding.