The Federal Government has deployed 44 career ambassadors-designate to their respective countries of accreditation.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olusola Enikaolaye, however, added that the envoys were yet to resume in their countries of assignment because of the delay in the memorandum from one country to another agreeing to the appointment of an ambassador.
The Permanent Secretary explained yesterday, in Abuja, that the ambassadors-designate would resume when agreements have been obtained from the prospective countries.
He said: “There are three categories of ambassadors that President Muhammadu Buhari has already approved. The first set was announced publicly and those are the ones going to International organisations in New York, Geneva, and the Africa Union in Addis Ababa.
“The New Permanent Representative in New York, Prof. Mohammed Tijani, has already assumed duty. Ambassador A.A Kadir, an ambassador and Permanent Representative in Geneva has submitted his letter of credence and assumed duty.
“The third one is Bankole Adeoye, ambassador to the African Union at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Adeoye is awaiting his agreement to proceed to Addis Ababa,” Enikaolaye explained.
According to him, the second category is the career ambassadors who have all been deployed in their respective countries of accreditation.
“However, they cannot proceed until we receive agreements for all of them; they are about 44 in this category,” he clarified and noted that agreements were trickling in.
The permanent secretary also disclosed that non-career ambassadors had yet to be deployed because they have not been assigned to countries.
“That work is in progress; as soon as that is completed, the countries to which they have been deployed will be the first to know.
“And once the agreement is received for each of them, we will make the announcement, but we will not make an announcement until the countries have given consent, which is agreement,” he stated, noting that this would be completed in a few weeks.
He said the ministry was taking necessary steps to fast-track the process to ensure the deployment of the envoys without further delay.