Bianca Ojukwu assumes office, promises to align with Tinubu’s foreign policy initiatives
ABUJA – Nigeria
Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, assumed office in Abuja on Monday, promising to align with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s foreign policy goals.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (l), receiving the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu on resumption of duty at the Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja.
She, along with others, was earlier sworn in as minister by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking while inaugurating the new ministers, Tinubu said, ““Economic recovery is on the horizon,” adding that “We have a good path to realise our dreams and it i
The President said despite the challenges, the job of re-engineering and retooling the economic path of this country is ongoing.
He therefore told the new Ministers that they had been “called upon to join the team to rescue this country.”
On October 23 President Tinubu sacked five of his Ministers and appointed seven new ones in the much anticipated cabinet reshuffle.
On October 30, the Senate confirmed the new Ministers namely, Dr Nentawe Yilwatda – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi – Minister of Labour & Employment; Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu – Minister of State Foreign Affairs.
Others are Dr Jumoke Oduwole – Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (Trade and Investment), Idi Mukhtar Maiha – Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf Abdullahi Ata – Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development and Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad – Minister of State Education.
Bianca Ojukwu was received by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar at the Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja.
The former beauty queen and former Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain, said that she’s fully committed to keying into the foreign policy thrust of this government.
She said, “I am delighted for the confidence reposed in me by our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be part of his new reform agenda.
“In this respect, I am fully committed to keying into the foreign policy thrust of this government. The President has actually made things much easier by building the foreign policy thrust of his administration. The 4Ds comprise of democracy, strengthening democratic institutions all over Africa, principally.
“Development; leveraging on the African Continental Free Trade Area to encourage and harness our economic potentials and of course, looking at the demography, we have a huge youth population Nigeria. 70% of the populating is under the age of 43, so that’s a huge demographic.
“We intend in this administration to leverage on the creative potentials, on the skills on the huge capital that these young people have to bring to the country, and of course the Diaspora.
“We have a Diaspora that remits annually, $22 billion, we have a Diaspora that is doing so well all over the world, and if we can partner with them and ensure that we bring them into the administration’s initiatives and use them also to forge strategic partnerships with financial institutions all over the world, that will in no small way enhance the workings on the service delivery for the Foreign Minister.
“And of course, ensuring that consular services broad are much more effective, and our citizens abroad are much happier with what they are receiving, and get that sense that their government truly cares for their welfare. Thank you very much.”
The new minister is expected to bring to bear her huge experiences in diplomatic circles.
