The Federal Government has cautioned the 36 state governments against entering into foreign negotiations or international agreements without its input.
This warning comes on the heels of a contract dispute between Ogun State and a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment, which has resulted in the seizure of three presidential jets by a French court.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, said states should register international arrangements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy, and Federal Government to avoid similar issues in the future. He noted that the Ogun State Government’s agreement with the Chinese company, made without the Federal Government’s knowledge or input, has led to the seizure of Nigerian assets.
Tuggar stressed that foreign negotiations require experienced individuals with the necessary skills and training, warning that sub-national actors should not engage in such agreements alone.
He said, “This is part of the problem when sub-national actors like state governments take it upon themselves to go into agreements, go into international arrangements, without recourse to the ministry of foreign affairs, without recourse to the federal government, and then when it goes awry, we are left with the problem to deal with.
“That is why it is always important that such arrangements should be registered with the mission there, with the embassy, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and with the federal government.
“This is something that Ogun state, under a different administration, not this governor, entered into that we’re not aware of. All we know is that they’re going after Nigerian assets.
“That’s why, really, foreign or international negotiations are not the purview of sub-national actors.
“You should always have those that are experienced in such an area that have the necessary skills and the necessary training to negotiate these sorts of agreements.”
