Buhari’s foreign trips: Matters arising

President Buhari has lately been criticised for his frequent foreign trips at a time the nation faces severe and daunting economic challenges.

Several Nigerians have voiced out their angst against what they describe as President Muhammadu Buhari’s penchant for not staying at home to govern the country, choosing instead to travel a lot adding that the trips had become too frequent and frivolous and of no value to a nation facing multiple crises. It is not yet certain if Buhari’s foreign trips are reducing anytime soon and the criticism is unlikely to subside.

Many Nigerians, including some civil society groups, have advised the President to cut down on his trips abroad and stay more at home to tackle the many difficulties Nigerians are going through.

Apart from the frequency of the travels, the costs associated with these trips have also been an issue. One of the most vocal governors against Buhari’s foreign trips, Ayo Fayose, governor of Ekiti state allege that over $50 million must have been spent on the frequent foreign trips.

However, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information in defence of the President said that the trips were not for frivolities, rather they were critical to the implementation of his administration’s key policies of enhancing security, jump-starting the economy, creating jobs and tackling unemployment.

Supporters of the President say it would be wrong for the president to be represented by a minister where other heads of state are gathered adding that there are so many things that would be achieved more quickly with the president’s presence in other countries leading to issues being resolved at a quicker rate. They argue that the trips were meant to attract investments to Nigeria adding that Nigeria would benefit more from some of the multi-national and bilateral agreements signed by the president abroad. They also say that these foreign trips have opened up a new vista for Nigeria in terms of support for the country’s prosecution of the war against terrorism citing that Nigeria was shunned by the Western powers but are now prepared to receive manifold forms of aid spanning from military equipment, intelligence sharing, funding and training.

In a chat with journalists, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, defended Buhari’s incessant foreign trips saying that foreign policy is an extension of domestic objectives adding that the trips fit into the three pillars of Mr. President’s vision which is focused on security, economy, and tackling corruption. The minister also said that the President has been taking advantage of the trips to shore up Nigeria’s economy within Africa by encouraging investment within the continent and promoting development through trade engagement amongst us. Beyond Africa, the minister said that Buhari also engaged with other countries of the world on bilateral level with his strategic visits to the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia for the purpose of pushing for the stabilization of the falling oil prices.

We disagree with the argument that the President has to be involved with every meeting and negotiations on bilateral ties when there are technocrats and ministers who are capable of leading a team on such matters. It will be pathetic if it is really true that the reason why the president embarks on all these trips by himself is because he has no trust in the abilities or integrity of his ministers, all of whom he appointed. Whatever may be the benefits of Buhari’s foreign trips, Nigeria cannot afford an absentee President at this time with all the multiple challenges at the needs his attention. Home is where the real work lies.