The newly-redeployed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mustapha Suleiman, on Friday pledged the ministry’s readiness to address challenges currently facing the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy.
Suleiman made the pledge during his first official visit to Lagos to interact with the academy’s 23rd Regular Course students.
The permanent secretary commended the students for their patience and perseverance in studying in an academy faced with decaying infrastructure and other challenges.
He said: “I have before this visit heard of the challenges facing this academy.
“We will do our best to ensure that the Foreign Service Academy is given all its due privileges.
“This academy is very significant in promoting our foreign relations.
“This is where you must train to understand what it takes to be a diplomat.
“Let me say that the ministry under my watch will look at all the challenges currently facing the academy.”
Suleiman also told the students that as much as the ministry was ready to address the academy’s challenges, the students must take their studies seriously.
The permanent secretary said it was imperative for them to begin to prepare themselves toward being appropriate representatives of Nigeria in the near future.
According to him, Nigeria and the ministry would be demanding so much from them as future diplomats.
He said: “As much as we are going to be giving you students the best soon, we also want you to appreciate all the issues you need to move forward in your careers.
“You should be proud diplomats.
“You must be like an athlete that is competing on behalf of Nigeria.
“You must know that this where you are going to spend the rest of your 35 years.
“You all need to give the Nigerian nation the appropriate representation, wherever you find yourselves in the future.”
Suleiman commended the academy’s Director, Dr. Cyprian Heen, on his efforts at repositioning the institution to internationally-accepted standards, adding that he was amazed at the ongoing renovation.
Earlier, the academy’s Director listed the challenges he met to include decaying infrastructure, poor funding, shortfall in monthly allowances and an ill-equipped library.
Heen said the situation at the academy had compelled him to approach private and public-spirited organisations, foreign missions and financial institutions, for support.
He also said there was currently no functional medical facility at the institution, a situation that compels the students to patronise private hospitals outside.
The President of the 23rd Regular Course, Amobi Ejezie, also expressed disappointment at the reduction of their monthly feeding allowance.
Ejezie also appealed to the permanent secretary to ensure the direct and immediate payment of the students’ passage allowance and other entitlements.
Suleiman was among the new permanent secretaries redeployed on September 24 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Until his redeployment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Suleiman was a permanent secretary in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.