By Milton Tella – From Thursday 25th November 2021, Nigerians in the UK can begin to expect improved performance of the Nigeria High Commission as the High Commissioner has been officially admitted to the Court of St James’s by Her Majesty, The Queen.
Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola the Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK, who presented his Letters of Credence to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11 on Thursday 25th November 2021, on the same day unveiled a Mission Charter, a 72-page document containing a well thought out plan to reposition the Nigeria High Commission London.
Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola said, “In the course of my appointment, President Muhammadu Buhari gave a station charter containing the duties that is expected from this diplomatic assignment.
The Mission Charter has inputs from stakeholders from Nigeria especially the executive arm of government and the diplomatic institutions. After my screening at the senate, the President announced me as High Commissioner to the UK. Shortly after the appointment l commissioned three different perception audits on the feelings of Nigerians in the UK and the way the Nigeria High Commission is perceived.
Upon resumption of duties l engaged with the staff, what l met on ground was not different from what is stated in the perception audit after the various engagements.
My focus and priority is to run a High Commission that is protective of its citizens abroad. In the High Commission today, the tone at the top is that President Muhammadu Buhari has given a charge. For us to engage in mobile facilities especially in the areas of passport issuance, to resolve the challenges faced by Nigerians in the UK. To improve community engagement and to harness the diaspora resources, leveraging on talents and skilled of the young population for economic development.
There has been continuous engagement through communication with 10 Downing Street, Parliament, Chatham House, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lobby Group, CSO, the intelligentsia and various other UK institutions.
There is also the need to have some action points and evaluation strategy to appraise performances.
On a quarterly basis, we need to appraise and reposition the Nigeria High Commission as the premiere mission for Nigeria all over the world.
The Nigeria High Commission London is the first Mission that was established by Nigeria since the colonial days. We therefore, have a duty to strengthen and deepen the bilateral relationship between Britain and Nigeria and render better services to Nigerians that are resident in the United Kingdom.
I have no doubt in mind that with the core of the diplomatic staff at the Mission in the UK today, we will be able to achieve this objective.”
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